CHARLIE CANTRELL, MAGGIE CARROLL, MATTHEW DAWKINS,

MEGHAN FITZGERALD, RACHEL JUDD, JOHN D. KENNEDY,

ELOY LASANTA, DANIELLE LAUZON, MATTHEW MCFARLAND,
ERIC ZAWADZKI
By Matthew McFarland

Whats this?
Doggie.
Good. Pause, scribble. Do you have a dog at your house? Vince bit his tongue as soon as
he said it. Hed read the file; he should have known better.
He died. The boys voice was impassive, but Vince could see the tension
in his face.
Im sorry to hear that, he said. He made eye contact, enough to let the boy know that
he was sincere, but not enough to make him uncomfortable. Its very sad when that
happens, I know. He paused for a moment, making sure the boy wasnt going to continue,
and then turned the page of the test.
Bird.
Well, its where the bird lives. Do you know what its called? The bird
lives in a
Cage.
Pause, scribble. The affricate sound at the end of the word was distorted, but Vince
had heard the boy say just and chips earlier, out in the playroom, so he wasnt
concerned. Probably wasnt a word the boy had used a lot.
Are we almost done?
No, were just getting started, thought Vince. Well, theres a few more
pictures, but youre doing a really great job. One thing Vince did miss about
older kids was that they were familiar with the concept of breaks. With
the preschoolers, the best you could do was let them bounce a ball around
the testing room or stand up and stretch, but if you let them go back into
the playroom, youd need a team of horses to get them back at the table. The
school district had decided that Vince was better suited to assessing the
younger kids, though, and he didnt really disagree. In a lot of ways this was
easier. He could forget the kids as soon as their evaluations were complete.
He turned the page again.
Gate.
At least this kid has some vocabulary, thought Vince. Thatll make it
go faster.
Want to hear what happened to my dog?
Vince put down his pen. Sure. He already knew, of course; it had
been in the referral report. This kid had been bounced around in
foster care for the past 18 months, and one of the families hed lived
with had a dog and a 20-something son with anger issues and a penchant for drinking. Hed run over the dog
in the driveway and then passed out, and the foster mom had found the boy Richard trying to bury the
poor thing in the backyard. Vince wasnt sure of the particulars after that, but he knew Richard wasnt with
that family anymore, and the foster mom whod come with him to the evaluation seemed like she had her head
on straight.
Arlow murdered it.
Vince kept his poker face, but barely. He made a mental note to write that down, at least to ask the school
psych. Whos Arlow?
I used to live with his mom.
Past tense, complex sentence, possessive pronoun. Interesting hes using it to refer to the dog. OK.
And then what? Vince felt weird about this; kids didnt normally open up to him about this kind of
thing. If they had the language skills to do it, they didnt need him anyway.
Arlow ran it over. With his car. Richard didnt seem sad. He didnt even seem angry, really.
Thats terrible.
Richard nodded. I loved Niko. He sat with me when I was scared.
Change in pronoun to he. Regular past tense, irregular past tense, complex sentence,
relating past events, talking about feelings, what the hell am I even doing assessing
this kid? What made you feel scared?
Monsters.
Vince paused. He wasnt sure how far to take this, and he still needed to finish the
damn test. He had two other kids to assess today, and Richard was pretty obviously
going in the DNQ file. Monsters arent really real, though.
Are too. Sometimes people turn into monsters when they get mad.
Oh, hell. Please dont let this turn into a call to DCFS. Who does that? Who turns
into a monster when they get mad? Vince kept his voice low, friendly, and warm, and
looked Richard in the eye. If the kid was being abused, it was better to hear about it
now than later. Richard fixed his gaze, and Vince almost shuddered.
Me.

Count the seconds after the thunder.
It was his mothers voice. She was sitting on the edge of the bed. Vince had
time to think but youre dead, Mom before he realized she was dead. The thing
sitting on the bed was a corpse. The throat was rotted away and Vince could
clearly see her cervical vertebrae.
Count the seconds after the thunder, and you can tell how far away the
storm is.
Vince tried to sit up, and felt an immediate wave of vertigo. He dropped
back on the pillow and listened. He heard a distant boom of thunder, and
counted. One, two, three, and then a flash of light.
Three miles.
Yes, his mother said, that one.
That one?
More thunder.
So many storms, Vincent. She turned and stared out the window.
 The shadows from the tree outside played on the wall, forming monstrous shapes, just like they always had.
Vince felt his breath catch in his chest. The monsters are here.
No, said his mother. But theyre near. Count. Count the seconds, find the storms.
Vince counted when he heard the thunder, and realized the thunderclaps were coming from many different
directions. Some were loud, some so faint he could barely hear them, but they were there. When the lightning
flashed, the shadow monsters moved.
Im scared, Mom.
The corpse turned back toward him. Her lips the tattered remains of her lips, completely unsuited for
clear speech moved, but he couldnt hear her anymore.
What?
She leaned down next to him, and he felt those horrid, ragged lips moving by his ear. You have
nothing to be afraid of. They arent really real.
Vince woke, flailing. At the end of the bed, Bacon jumped up and started barking, panicked.
Vince sat up, and the dog stomped up to the pillows and licked his face.
Its OK, buddy. Vince stroked Bacons fur and tried to get his heart rate down. Its fine.
Just a dream.

Richards mother reports Vince punched the backspace key. Richards foster
mother reports
Not much, actually, thought Vince. He stared at the screen, trying to decide how to
proceed. It shouldnt be this hard. It was an easy case, from his perspective. The school
psych would have some harder decisions to make with regards to eligibility, but that
wasnt his problem. Richard, was, as hed suspected, a does not qualify. And yet, he
couldnt get the boy out of his mind.
He stood up from his desk and walked down the hall to the psych office. The room
smelled like a used cough drop. One of the psychs had brought in a vaporizer, and it
was spewing eucalyptus-scented fog into the room. Vince suppressed a gag and walked
over to Graces cube.
Hey. He leaned on the cube wall and looked down at her. Grace was staring at
her laptop. What do you think about Richard?
Hes not gonna qualify for you, is he? Grace didnt look up from the screen.
No, his speech is fine. Vince drummed his fingers on the wall. I just
wondered what you were going to do with him.
Grace saved her work and turned her chair around to face him. Well, I
dont know. Ann says hell qualify for OT.
Really?
Yeah, apparently his fine motor skills are really delayed.
I didnt notice.
Vince shrugged. Ann was too eager to qualify kids, in his opinion, but
occupational therapy wasnt his field, anyway. What about you? Did you
do a cognitive test?
Yeah, came out in the low 80s. I think its mostly lack of exposure,
moving all around like that. Vince nodded. The social-emotional
stuff was really what I was more worried about, based on the
reports from the daycare, but he was fine here.
Whats he like at daycare?
I dont know. He goes to that Childrens Warehouse place over on 82nd. I hate that place. Its always
overcrowded and they never turn the TV off.
Vince grimaced. Ugh. You gonna go out and observe?
She glanced back at the papers on her desk. I dont have time. I have four reports to get done before Friday
and two of them are pretty involved. I was going to see if Deb could do it.
Well, thatd be useless, Vince thought. Deb was pretty burned out and she was retiring at the end of the year.
Her reports were cursory at best, and if she knew that Grace was on the fence about the kid, shed gloss over
any problems to make him a DNQ across the board. I could go.
Grace cocked an eyebrow. You dont normally
Yeah, I know. Vince looked around the room. And its not going to be a habit. But Im caught up
on reports, I have time. And this kid He shrugged.
He got under your skin.
Yeah. Vince shuddered, and Grace nodded. Apparently shed seen it, too.

Childrens Warehouse was as shoddy as the name implied. A cluster of four boys, all
preschool aged, were sitting on the floor staring at the TV. Vince couldnt identify the
show, but he wasnt up on kids programming anymore. He walked over to the only adult
he saw, a harried woman in her 40s trying to wrangle a diaper onto a two-year-old.
Excuse me, hi. He gave his warmest smile and showed his ID badge. Im Vince Milliner.
Im an SLP with
Hang on. She pulled up the childs pants and buttoned them, and set him on the
floor. The kid scampered off toward the TV. Okay, what now? You a speech therapist?
You here for Dmonte?
Vince shook his head. No, Im just here to observe Richard Fries.
He aint here no more.
What? What happened?
She gave him an exasperated look. Somewhere in room he couldnt see, a child
started crying. She rolled her eyes, but didnt move to investigate. Shirley
she owns the place she kicked him out after he cut Lees leg up.
Vince swallowed a feeling of creeping horror. He cut someones leg? A kid
or an adult?
Kid. The woman leaned in. We never even found no knife.
Did Richard say why?
She shook her head. They was always fighting. Lee liked to make fun of
Richard and push him and all. And then I come in yesterday and Lees leg
is bleeding and Richard just standing there with this look on his face.
Vince could only nod. He knew the look she was talking about.

Seriously? Not even under ED? Vince was looming, he realized.
He took a step back from Graces chair and she relaxed a bit.
 We cant. Hes only four, hes never been in a real preschool, and his behavior problems havent been addressed
because no one ever did a behavior plan. Grace looked annoyed. She was here late. The other psychs were gone,
the therapists were gone, the administrators long gone. Vince seldom stayed late, but today he had taken a late
lunch and then gotten stuck in a meeting. He didnt want to come in tomorrow to a pile of work, so he stayed to
finish his reports. He had no idea what Grace was still doing here.
I think hes just going to wind up in an ED room later.
Yeah, maybe, but thats not on us.
Fuck, whispered Vince under his breath. Grace glanced at him. Vince had almost trained himself out of
cursing at work. You know he cut a kid at that daycare?
No, he didnt. Grace wasnt even looking at him anymore.
What?
He didnt cut that kid. I talked to the kids mother; we assessed her other son last year and
shed called to refer the little one, Lee. She took him to the doctor and the doctor said the
cut was from an animal.
Vinces eyes widened and, somewhere in the distance, he heard thunder. An animal? How would
he even know that?
Grace swiveled her chair to face him. Hes a doctor, Vince. I guess he looked at the cut
and figured it out. Anyway, the mom thinks that Lee must have been messing with a stray
cat or something theyre all over the place by that daycare and then only saw it
when he was with Richard. Maybe Richard touched his leg or something. She stretched
her arms. Okay, now, I really want to finish this up so I can go home. Okay?
Vince nodded. Meeting for Richard is tomorrow, right?
Yeah, Grace said, carefully. But you dont have to come. Hes a DNQ for you, right?
Right.

The meeting was a farce.
Ann had backed off, agreeing to DNQ Richard from occupational therapy. That left
nothing, no ground for Vince to stand on to argue for qualifying him. He tried,
but the district rep (who had never worked in a classroom a day in her life, as
far as Vince knew) kept coming back to the numbers. High language skills. Low-
average cognitive. Low-average fine motor. Elevated behavioral reports, but
all just reports, and no history of interventions. No disability that would
pose an adverse effect on education.
Vince disagreed and wrote on the form why he disagreed, and then went
to lunch. He ordered a beer with his sandwich and drank it too fast, then
drove back to the clinic feeling flushed and angry. He tossed four mints in
his mouth before he went inside, stalked back to his desk, put his earbuds
in, and turned on his music.
Thunder. He started, and looked up. No sunlight streaming in the window.
He checked the clock on his computer. He was more than an hour past his
quitting time. His reports were done, printed, and stacked neatly by his
computer. Where does the time go?
He stood up, stretched, and picked up the stack of papers. He could wait
until tomorrow to deliver them to the psychs, of course, but why not
just do it now and get it out of the way? He didnt want to see any of
them, anyway, and theyd all be gone for the day by now. If he waited,
he knew they would chide him about disagreeing or, worse, they
wouldnt, and would just natter about it behind his back.
He walked down the hall to the psychs office and sorted the reports out by case manager. Donna, Jim, Mia,
BethGrace. Fuck.
He stood by Graces desk, staring at the report, staring at the photos pinned to the cube wall, staring at her
fucking chair, willing it all to catch fire. Fuck her, he thought. She cant see it. She doesnt see it. This kid
is going to hurt someone for real, and she cant hear the thunder.
Vince?
He turned. Grace was standing there; he was blocking the entrance to her cube.
Yeah. Just dropping off some reports.
Okay, thank you. Polite. Neutral. Just like a goddamn psych.
Dont say another word, thought Vince. Not another fucking word. Just get out, get your coat, go
home, walk the dog.
He stood aside, and Grace brushed by him to get into her cube. He turned to leave. Walked two
steps. He was five feet from the door when she said it.
I think you should have skipped the meeting. She was sitting down, now, looking at her screen.
Not even really talking to him.
Yeah? Vince glanced down to his left. He was standing by Beths cube. She had a geode
paperweight sitting on her desk. He thought he remembered her saying her son had given
it to her for her birthday.
Yeah. It was kind of embarrassing, actually. Typing. Not looking. Not communicating.
Not paying attention. He doesnt qualify. You know he doesnt.
Vince picked up the geode. It had to weigh a solid three pounds. He turned. Well, I
think he does. I think well be sorry for not keeping an eye on him.
Well, Vince, we cant just qualify kids for services to keep an eye on them. If he gets
to school and he cant succeed, then well
Vince brought the geode down on her head. He heard a distinct crack. She gasped, a wet,
broken sound, but she couldnt scream. He raised the geode again and brought it down.
It glanced off exposed bone and drew a ragged stripe of flesh from her cheek, snapping
the frame of her glasses. She fell out of her chair and tried to push herself up.
Vince crouched down next to her. He qualifies, he hissed. I said he fucking does. Hes
going to hurt people. He raised the geode again and brought it down on the base of her
skull, near the brainstem, near the medulla oblongata. Something shifted under the
rock as it landed, and Grace collapsed, eyes open, barely breathing, staring at nothing.
Vince stayed there, squatting next to her, until the raspy breathing stopped.
He waited for someone to come running. No one did. The only people in
the building were custodians, and theyd done their sweep of these
offices already.
He grabbed a garbage can and pulled the empty bag out, wrapped up the geode,
and carried it back to his cube. His right hand was bruised and had a fleck of
blood on it, but he was otherwise clean. He put the geode in his coat pocket,
and walked out into the cold.
Thunder rumbled in the distance, and Vince counted the seconds. It was
close. The storm was close. He tightened his grip around the stone.
So many storms, his mother had said. How many others would qualify
for his services?
Thats why we do this work, he thought, starting up his car. Because
someone has to. Because no one takes care of these kids.
He pulled out of the lot and turned right, following the thunder.
 Credits
Writers: Charlie Cantrell, Maggie Carroll, Matthew
Dawkins, Meghan Fitzgerald, Rachel Judd, John D. Kennedy,
Eloy Lasanta, Danielle Lauzon, Matthew McFarland, Eric
Zawadzki
Developer: Danielle Lauzon
Editor:
Artists: Michael Gaydos, Brian Leblanc, Luis Sanz, Avery
Butterworth, Leo Albiero, Jeff Holt, H.H. Ambrose
Art Director: Michael Chaney
Layout and Design: Josh Kubat
Creative Director: Richard Thomas

Special Thanks
Thanks to Matthew McFarland who took a chance on
me so many years ago. It is fitting that my very first published
writing shows up in a Night Horrors book, and my very first
development project is a Night Horrors book; both projects
under the control of Matt, and both opportunities facilitated
by him. Also, thanks to my husband, Weston Harper, for always
keeping me on the right track and being my muse when I need it.

2017 White Wolf AB. All rights reserved. Reproduction without the written permis-
sion of the publisher is expressly forbidden, except for the purposes of reviews, and for
blank character sheets, which may be reproduced for personal use only. White Wolf,
Vampire, and Chronicles of Darkness are registered trademarks of White Wolf AB.
All rights reserved. Storytelling System, Vampire the Requiem, Mage the Awakening,
Werewolf the Forsaken, Chronicles of Darkness, and Vampire the Requiem Second
Edition are trademarks of White Wolf AB.
All rights reserved. All characters, names, places and text herein are copyrighted by
White Wolf AB.

This book uses the supernatural for settings, characters and themes. All mystical and supernatural elements are fiction and intended
for entertainment purposes only. This book contains mature content. Reader discretion is advised.
Check out the Onyx Path online @ http:\\www.theonyxpath.com

8 NIGHT HORRORS: CONQUERING HEROES

Prologue: DNQ 2 Dwight Whittaker The Web Weaver 29
Background 29
Introduction 13 Description 31
Themes and Mood 13 Rumors 32
To Conquer 13 Emily Esser Soul-Eater 33
Connected Through the Primordial Dream 14 Background 33
Chronicles of Darkness 14 Description 35
Whats In This Book? 14 Rumors 35
Chapter One: Heroes 14 New Gifts 37
Chapter Two: Beasts 14 New Conditions 37
Chapter Three: Insatiable 15 Peer Pressure 37
Black Sheep 37
Chapter One: Heroes 18 Pariah 38
The Many Faces of Heroism 18 Grace Teller Reality TV Star 38
The Heros Journey 19 Background 38
The Hunt 19 Description 40
The Kill 20 Rumors 41
Candy Rasmussen Voice of the Victim 22 Jada Cole Lightseeker 42
Background 22 Background 42
Description 24 Description 44
Rumors 25 Rumors 44
Daniel Greene the Silversmith 26 Dr. Jameson Stone the Dream Killer 45
Background 26 Background 45
Description 27 Description 46
Rumors 28 Rumors 47

TABLE OF CONTENTS 9
 Marlena Sarcosa the Sentinel 49 Janice Esterhaus Tears on the Sand 87
Background 49 Background 87
Description 50 Description 89
Rumors 51 Rumors 90
Martin Whist The Silencer 52
Chapter Three:
Background 52
Insatiable 94
Description 53
Distant Relations 95
Rumors 54
The Unsated Hunger 96
Michael Bellinger Stalker of Beasts 55
The Moments 96
Background 55
Clashing Faults 96
Description 57
Freezing Hell 96
Rumors 57
Molten Earth 97
Tereza Markusa Dead Eyes 59
Primordial Seas 97
Background 59
Void 97
Description 59
Unknowable Fears 97
Rumors 60
The Dens 98
Chapter TWO: BEASTS 64 Creating the Insatiable 98
Luca Rohner The Corporate Ravisher 65 Horrible Form 99
Background 65 Impossible Anatomy 99
Description 66 Lair Subversion 99
Rumors 67 Unseen Presence 99

James Bernard Cru 68 The Act of Subversion 99

Background 68 Subversion of Contentment 100

Description 70 Subversion of Hunger 100

Rumors 71 The Schism 101

Esurients 102
Martin OSullivan The Empyrean Swimmer 72
Cast Aside 102
Background 72
Body of Mouths 102
Description 74
The Burning 102
Rumors 75
Channel the Lifeblood 102
Adam Cutler The Silver Bay Serpent 76
Foul Mess 102
Background 76
Impossible Vista 103
Description 78
Intruder 103
Rumors 78
Laws of Man No Longer Apply 103
Kiele Kano The Sky Crawler 80
Obedience 103
Background 80
Terrible Form 103
Description 80
We Can See Your Insides 103
Rumors 81
Your Power Is Mine 104
Alvin Zane Slimy Lobbyist 83
Examples 104
Background 83
The Authority 104
Description 84
Background 104
Rumors 85

10 NIGHT HORRORS: CONQUERING HEROES

 Description 105 Null Snyper Internet Scourge 113
Rumors 105 Background 113
The Blind Man 107 Description 114
Background 107 Rumors 115
Description 108 Peter Slaughbal the Unrelenting Clown 116
Rumors 109 Background 116
Colette The Lovesick Girl 110 Description 117
Background 110 Rumors 118
Description 111 Wilmot the Blitz Boy 119
Rumors 112 Background 119
Description 120
Rumors 121

TABLE OF CONTENTS 11
 What makes a Hero in any time and age? Is it the impetus to take up sword and shield to defend those
less capable? Is it the desire to right perceived wrongs, to drive back the terrors of the night? Some
would say yes to both, yet the truth of the matter is more complex and often much dirtier
than that. The desire to be known as a Hero is every bit as intoxicating as doing good,
often leading someone to see things in blacks and whites, while the rest of the world
exists in shades of gray. Everyone is the protagonist in their own story; everyone
believes they are the hero, the savior, and the person doing the right
thing, regardless of how far from the truth they really fall. Those
Heroes who take it upon themselves to hunt Beasts are all of
these things, and worse.
How then, does a Beast come to conquer such creatures? The
fairytale version tells us of the creature lurking in its cave, terror-
izing people until a hero comes to save the day. But these are not
fairytales, and this is no way for a Beast to really live her life.
Why should she wait until some Hero comes by to stalk and
hunt her as though she is prey? Sometimes she does take the
initiative, hunting Heroes before they can hunt her, but she
must be careful of the Horror inside. She must balance the
terrible hunger she feels with the need to survive. Because if she isnt careful,
she may find herself becoming a true terror, a Beast without reason or purpose, All the adversity Ive had in
killing and living only to satiate her hunger. my life, all my troubles and
obstacles, have strengthened
Themes and Mood me... You may not realize it
when it happens, but a kick
Two themes pervade this book; the first is that sometimes good people do in the teeth may be the best
terrible things because they think they are right, and the other is that sometimes
terrible people use the expectations of others to get away with their terrible deeds.
thing in the world for you.
Heroes throw their followers at problems, caring only for the final outcome, - Walt Disney
destroying a Beast, and not for the many innocent lives they endanger. Beasts
give in to their Hungers, giving up any pretense of providing a lesson in favor of
embracing their Legends and Myths. Insatiable are selfish creatures driven wholly
by the Hunger inside them, caring nothing for the havoc they wreak as they feed for
prolonged periods in an area.

To Conquer
The concept behind this book is not to display Heroes who boldly go forth
and conquer Beasts. While some of the Heroes examined here believe that this
is their mission, most do so for selfish reasons. Instead, those who take on these
monsters are the heroes and the creatures found within these pages are the ones
who need conquering. Heroes and Insatiable alike prey upon supernatural creatures,
seeking them out to kill them to satisfy either a bloodlust or a hunger they cannot satisfy
through any other means. Heroes looking for their next power fix tend to lose any vestige of the heroic
demeanor in which they protect innocent victims, and instead throw followers and sycophants into
the clutches of the Beasts they hunt.

13
 Connected Through
the Primordial Dream
Another, subtler, theme is the effect the Primordial
Dream has on the lives of those it touches. Everything pre-
sented in this book has a connection to the Primordial Dream.
Heroes dream deeper than humans, touching the surface of
the Primordial Dream, but not delving into its full depths
where the Horrors and Insatiable roam. This touch on their
souls leaves a lasting impression, and how they react to that
defines what kind of Hero they are. Their lack of true knowl-
edge of the Primordial Dream drives them to incomplete con-
clusions and gives them just enough power to be dangerous.
Beasts, on the other hand, are born from the Horrors of the
Primordial Dream. They see the fears and terrors of mankind
that have shaped their Families, and they seek to make meaning
of their own existences. Yet, there are those who give in to their
hungers, merge with their Horrors, or retreat completely into
the Primordial Dream, unable to balance their Life with the
Legend and their Hunger. While these Beasts are not inherently
monsters, not any more than any Beast is a monster, they pose
different problems to the areas they call their homes.
Finally, Insatiable are also born of the Primordial Dream,
but their existence predates that of Horrors. The Insatiable live
in a deeper, more primal place within the Primordial Dream,
allowing them to move about nearly unseen by both Heroes and
Beasts alike, but also preventing them from really connecting to
humanity the way Horrors can. They instead must hijack people
with a connection to the Primordial Dream, but not those who
are fully realized as either Heroes or Beasts. The process is spon-
taneous, as the Insatiable is constantly looking for a way to feed
its Hunger, and jumps on any opportunity that presents itself.
Chronicles of Darkness
While this book is geared towards Beast: The Primordial,
the creatures found in this book have ties to and hooks into
many different supernatural communities. While Heroes are
not the same as hunters, they cross quite a few lines, and even
team up on some occasions, though a Hero rarely follows any-
thing resembling a Vigil and will betray her newfound friends
in an instant if it brings her closer to the Beast she hunts. The
Beasts found in this book are territorial and likely to attract all
kinds of attention, and not just from Heroes. Insatiable are a
problem for anyone they come across. Just because they like to
feed their Hungers on Beasts does not mean they wont pick
other, easier prey. These creatures have no illusions of kinship
to the other supernatural creatures in the world, and are just as
likely to make a meal of one as a human or Beast. Any of these
antagonists could show up in any Chronicles of Darkness game
and make the supernatural denizens of the world unhappy for
a variety of reasons.
Whats In This Book?
This book is separated into three chapters, each detailing peo-
ple and creatures who have lost their grasp on humanity, making
14 INTRODUCTION
them monstrous and in need of conquering. Each chapter focuses
on one of three antagonist types: Heroes, Beasts, and Insatiable.
Chapter One: Heroes
We take a look at how Heroes come about and how they
react to the Primordial Dream in different ways. We cover how
they hunt and kill their prey, as well as give an insight into how
Heroes are the star of their own show.
The YouTube star, Candy Rasmussen uses her channel
followers to leak information on Beasts, direct other Heroes to
their lairs, and sometimes drag innocent victims through the
mud in her pursuit to gain more viewers.
Daniel Greene, the child of a pair of hunters with a Vigil,
was indoctrinated into the world of the supernatural at an early
age, and takes up the sword against Beasts as a way to continue
his familys legacy.
A sociopath turned paramilitary, Dwight Whittaker enjoys
using poisons and explosives to fight Beasts. He cares more
about his reputation than he does about his own life.
A Proximus turned Hero, Emily Esser has no soul of her
own, and attempts to stay afloat by consuming the Horrors of
the Beasts she kills, taking them as her own soul for a short time.
Grace Teller hunts Beasts with the lens of the world
watching, convincing everyone that its all special effects and
television magic, as she broadcasts her every move via a camera
crew who follow her on her hunts.
Jada Cole is a young Hero who believes her true calling is
that of a superhero, like the ones she grew up reading about in
comic books. She hasnt yet killed a Beast, but instead is exer-
cising her new mission on the vampire population of her city.
A physician and sleep therapist, Dr. Jameson Stone is fas-
cinated with the Primordial Dream, going so far as to capture
Beasts and other supernatural creatures to perform experiments
on in hopes of furthering his research on the nature of dreams.
A single mother, Marlena Sarcosa believes she must protect
her neighborhood and children from the horrors of the night,
no matter what form they take.
A Hero who only takes up the mantle when disturbed,
Martin Whist just wants to swim in the ocean in peace without
the horrors that disturb his dreams, and the creatures that pain
his acute hearing.
Michael Bellinger is a serial murderer who has found that
he gets the most thrill and pleasure from hunting and killing
Beasts, though hell kill others in their place if he cant find a
Beast in time to slake his desires.
Tereza Markusa was picked up by the Cheiron Group early
in her career as a Hero, and now has to balance her own desires
to hunt Beasts with her corporate duty of hunting other super-
natural creatures, all while hiding her own preternatural abilities.
Chapter Two: Beasts
The Beasts found in this chapter are those who have
lost their way, or in many cases those who have found their
Inheritances and are now so powerful that their very presence
can cause problems for other Beasts and supernatural creatures
sharing their cities.
The Corporate Ravisher is a Beast Incarnate who is the
most powerful Beast in Zurich. He feasts upon the ruin of other
businesses, making it his missions to destroy the lives of not
only those employees with whom he comes into contact, but
of their friends and families.
The Beast Rampant, Cru, no longer holds any vestiges of
humanity after his human tried to hold him back and starve him
out for far too long. Now, he lives only to hunt and kill his prey.
The Empyrean Swimmer is a Beast Unfettered who has gained
power over the Primordial Dream, allowing it to traverse planes of ex-
istence gathering information on all types of supernatural creatures,
and losing its connection to other Beasts as it does.
A powerful Makara Incarnate, The Silver Bay Serpent
rules his small cove with a terrible ferocity and territoriality
that keeps foreign Beasts from getting near, and destroys any
who attempt to lay claim to the ocean.
Unfettered and untroubled by the constraints of man,
The Sky Crawler seeks out secrets, absorbing and learning all
she can. Eventually, she finds those with terrible secrets and
punishes them for their transgressions without mercy.
A Namtaru with little to no compunctions, the Slimy
Lobbyist has leveraged his monetary inheritance toward brib-
ing, blackmailing, and swindling politicians, forcing them to act
out against their beliefs and ruining their lives in the process.
He indulges his Hunger with abandon, and is exerting pressure
on other supernatural communities in his city in an attempt to
extend his feeding even deeper.
A Beast who once acted out in an effort to gain attention,
Tears on the Sand is now a Beast Rampant who lost herself to
her Horror at the unwitting urging from her changeling friend.
She is holed up in a youth camp for troubled teens and feeds
on those who cannot follow the rules.
Chapter Three:
Insatiable
The Insatiable are creatures from a time before man, a
time before the dreams and fears of man filled the Primordial
Dream. In this time, the terrors of the world were not fears
born of legends, but instead were the very landscape of the
earth. These terrors live on, even though they are no longer
prevalent thoughts in the minds of dreamers. Some of the
Children believe they are some kind of progenitor species,
created and then discarded by the Dark Mother, but they
themselves believe they come from an entirely different entity
called the Primogenitor. These creatures capture and take over
those with any connection to the Primordial Dream before
they come to realization as either Beasts or Heroes. They have
an insatiable hunger they constantly try to fulfill by devouring
human and Beast prey alike. This chapter details mechanics
and powers specific to Insatiable, including rules for taking
over a Beasts Lair, or the Beast herself.
The Authority stands over the crime organizations in
his town, using them to keep a stranglehold on any and all
criminal activity in the city. He devours any who steps out of
line whole, and consumes the power from those he subjugates.
A wandering sign of terrible things to come, The Blind
Man comes and goes throughout the ages, bringing with him
ruin and destruction without rhyme or reason. He is a stickler
for the rules he himself creates, and consumes any who step
out of his arbitrary lines. He believes he does this to bring
about the resurrection of the Primogenitor, though no one
can be sure if this is a portent, or pure madness.
Cold and alone, the Lovesick Girl entices people into her
Den to hold and squeeze until she consumes all their warmth,
and then their very flesh. She hunts without thought for oth-
ers, mindlessly seeking love or some kind of connection to
feed her burning hunger for affection.
Null Synper feeds solely from the fear and ruin she insti-
gates on the internet through hate groups and active trolling.
She starves herself of a true meal of flesh and bone, afraid of
leaving her safe hovel, and finding it far too easy to prey on
those who would take their own lives for her.
A hunter locked the Unrelenting Clown in a reliquary
for nearly 50 years. If his predations and feedings seemed
horrific before, his imprisonment and near starvation has left
him a twisted and damaged creature who sates his unrelenting
hunger in any way possible. Fear, pain, ruin, and power are
all delicacies to the thing that has taken on the persona of a
demented clown as his true form.
A survivor of World War II bombings, the Blitz Boy still
appears as a child after becoming Insatiable. He now steals
children and their families, to crush and smother them,
eventually feasting upon their bones. He uses his innocent
looks and the goodwill of others to worm his way into the
hearts of his prey.
WHAT'S IN THIS BOOK? 15
 I got 50 bucks on Duarte, hed better pull it together.
Screw Duarte, Levys got this in the bag.
Listen to her, Brandi, Levys not giving up that lead.
Psh, you just watch. Duarte does best when hes the underdog.
The three of them had been crowded around that laptop for four hours and I still had no idea what they were watch-
ing. I was up on football and basketball, and I didnt know any Duartes or Levys. Was it boxing season? I didnt follow
that. Must be boxing, I thought. Some kind of tournament?
Whatever, as long as they kept on drinking and didnt start any trouble, it was none of my business. I cleared a few
tables and checked the time.
20 minutes til last call, I warned them. They barely looked up.
I didnt pay them much attention for those 20 minutes. The occasional cheer or shout of anticipation went up from
their table, and soon they were the last customers left. Man, I didnt think boxing was that engrossing. I announced
last call; they ignored me.
Finally, it was time to close and they were still glued to that screen.
Hey, I called over, I gotta close up. Come on, your tabs waiting, time to go home. No response. They kept
up their commentary, jostling each other and getting excited.
I plunked a glass loudly down onto the bar and stalked over. I was ready to give them a piece of my mind,
but as I came up behind them I caught a glimpse of the screen and got curious.
It wasnt boxing, that was for sure. It took me a minute to parse what I was looking at. They had two
separate windows open, each playing what looked like a live recording from a handheld camera. The same
events played out from two different angles in real time. A man limped down a dark, dead-end street, leav-
ing bloody footprints behind him. The roar of a motorcycle rattled the computers speakers and I saw its
headlight illuminate the frame as it swung around a corner. In its stark light, a woman perched high on
a fire escape above the limping man came into view, pointing a rifle down at the street. I couldnt tell
who she was aiming at.
This has to be a movie, right? Theyre filming a movie. But something about their ear-
nest reactions, their sincere competitive drive, nixed that thought as soon as I had
it. As I watched, and the customers shouts got louder, the motorcyclist revved the
engine and bore down on the limping man like a bullet train. A gunshot rang out
just as the bike barreled into the man, crushing him like an exploding tomato
against a brick wall. A moment of dead silence pulled me into it, even though
I wanted to scream and run to call the police.
Then the woman on the fire escape raised her rifle in triumph, bowing
to the camera and grinning. The three in the bar whooped and laughed,
like the ref had just called in their favor. Two of them high-fived each
other, shouting, Yeah, Levy! You go, girl! Thats what Im talking about!
Pay up, Brandi, while the other one shook her head with a rueful smile.
That was it. Just that.
I stumbled backward, tripped over a chair, and went sprawling. The
noise finally got their attention and they turned to look at me as one. My
tongue felt like it weighed a hundred pounds, I couldnt say anything. The one
they called Brandi came to loom over me. Her eyes were pitiless and empty.
Whats the matter with you? she said.
N-nothing.
She smiled. It felt like shed spit at me. Good, she said. She dug a
dollar bill out of her jeans pocket and tossed it down at me. It landed
on my chest. I didnt move. Go home, youve earned it.
I quit that job and never went back again.
 Its a narrative that dates back to humanitys earliest stories. When the deep darkness outside our familiar
walls births a monster to menace the innocent populace, a hero rises to protect them, passing through trials
to slay the beast and win her hearts desire. These stories propagate like wildfire because everyone wants to
imagine herself as that hero: the one who would take up arms, stand up to terror, and prove
her bravery in the face of a foe all can agree is unwanted. No shades of gray taint the
choice to kill the dragon that razes the countryside and demands unearned tribute.
Good and evil are clear and obvious sides in a war that requires not an army, but a
single sword shining with righteous virtue, to prevail. Strength, cun-
ning, wisdom, skill, divine gifts: the hero wields these tools in her
quest to become humanitys savior, proving herself a superlative
example of her kind and earning the respect and love of all.
Modern Heroes would never admit to thinking of themselves
this way. Asked why they take up arms to hunt the Beast, they reply
that if they dont, who will? That their power is a burden that de-
mands action. That they alone have the clarity to see what must be
done, and justice dictates they do it. That they feel something
wrong and cant escape the urge to right it. The trouble is,
Because there is good what they call wrong is something they barely understand
and there is evil, and cant really define. Its wrong because its different,
and evil must be punished. because it goes against the familiar status quo. A Heros instincts tell him that
Even in the face of the ripples upending his dreamscape when he sleeps are not supposed to be
Armageddon I shall not there. When he tries to explain it to his friends and family, they advise him to
compromise in this. take a vacation from stress or see a therapist, and ignore what seems to him an
But, there are so many obvious threat. He cant see beneath the surface of the dream, so his imagination
deserving of retribution fills in the rest; what do millennia of human history tell us lurks in the unknown
and there is so little time. to disturb the peaceful slumber of the unwary? Monsters, of course.
Just like in the movies, no one tells the fledgling Hero what shes supposed to
Alan Moore, do with this knowledge she didnt ask for. For some, its terrifying. For others, its
Watchmen vindicating. Either way, its special. Shes adrift on a raft in a sea of ignorance, with
no lighthouse to guide her and no companions to share her experience. She has
no way of knowing that shes a superfluous leftover from a time when humanitys
relationship with nightmares was radically different, or that now shes just standing
in the way of the ones with a real purpose. To her, destiny beckons. She alone must be
the one to solve what she perceives as a problem on an existential level. Shes seeing
these disturbances for a reason, and if she can prove it, then others will have to
believe her and more, to thank her for doing what they cant. To recognize
her as their Hero.

The Many
Faces of Heroism
Not everyone reacts the same way to this shallow awareness of the Primordial Dream. Some dont
become Heroes at all, instead finding other ways to indulge their primal instincts or learning to tune
them out. A rare few even take it upon themselves to help the Beasts they track down, heeding the
message that humanity can only progress by accepting its fears and turning them to productive change. Generally,

18
though, human nature reacts poorly to the unknown and the
different, with irrational fear and a desire to show dominance.
From these primitive instincts arise base needs that drive
those who slay Beasts. Like the Children themselves, Heroes
feed primal hungers, but they do it in reaction to their mortal
enemies rather than for any true purpose. Heroes rise for as
many reasons as their diverse personal histories suggest, but
patterns do emerge.
Perhaps the most basic cause of Heroism is the need to
lash out at whats unfamiliar and threatening. To this kind of
Hero, the Beasts arent threatening because of anything theyve
done their mere existence is a menace to the Heros sense
of self or worldview. She fears what she doesnt understand,
and she takes her aggressive nature and buried anger out on
the thing thats socially acceptable to harm. She suppresses her
violent urges, vicious hatred, or stark paranoia in her everyday
life, so as to fit in and get by the law says its not okay to hurt
your coworkers or the guy that cuts you off on the highway. But
a monster? Those are fair game for unleashing whatever dark
impulses beat inside her resentful heart. She fights because its
cathartic. She kills because she can.
Others start out trying to ignore their Heroic instincts,
taking up arms only after the incessant disruptions in their
dreams drive them to utter distraction. The reluctant Hero
acts out of a simple need to make the noise stop, or because
someone convinces him that his nightmares are signs of a fate
he must accept a mission from God, perhaps, or inevitable
events that will take place with or without his agreement. The
longer hes been at the job, the more likely hes resigned himself
permanently to it. He fights because he believes he must, to
save himself from madness or at the behest of a higher power.
He kills because losing control of his life numbs him to the
consequences of his actions, and leans on Heroic destiny as a
scapegoat to take away all responsibility.
To some people, simply playing hero is not enough. This
Hero needs attention and love, fame and applause, and she
will do anything to get it. Shes the white knight who jumps
in to rescue people who dont need rescuing, the one who
runs for student council president but delegates all the work.
Its easiest for this kind of Hero to pretend shes doing it for
the poor, defenseless victims, but shes indiscriminate and
thoughtless about her killing, proving its all for the accolades
in the end. She recruits followers less for the help and more so
that someone sees her in action if she cant tell the media all
about her exploits, she can at least have awe-inspired flunkies
witness her greatness. She fights for the thanks and praise. She
kills because thats what Heroes do.
For the Hero who feels inadequate or scorned in his ev-
eryday life, slaying Beasts fulfills a need for the validation of a
self-image no one else sees. It gives him the chance to justify
his existence. He needs to prove that hes the cleverest or the
most skilled, that he knows something others dont, that hes a
good person despite the haters, that hes been misunderstood
all this time, or just that hes in the right. Hes deluded himself
into thinking hes the underdog in a war he created, desperate
to be the good guy in a fight against the Beasts evil. He these Heroes, who prefer to investigate in person and gain the
cant stand to accept the primacy of something thats nothing
like him it would debunk a lifetime of assumptions and
shatter his ego, and he cant let that happen. He fights to grasp
at legitimacy and set himself up as the us versus someones
them. He kills because to hold back would be to admit that
he was ever wrong.
Some Heroes are dissatisfied with the perfectly-mundane
lives they lead, and turn to hunting Beasts out of a need for
more. More power, more thrills, more anything. Once this Hero
gets a taste of the fantastical world beyond her own, she cant
get enough. The intoxicating Gifts she receives after slaying a
Beast drive her to do it again and again. She wants to be unstop-
pable, to have superpowers, to live on the edge, to be a goddess.
She sees the strange, dark lives the Children lead and envies
them. She steals from them to give to herself. She explores the
Primordial Dream to eat of its flesh and drink of its blood, and
spends as little time participating in human life as possible. She
fights to become someone else. She kills to reap the rewards.
The Heros
Journey
Unfortunately for the Hero of our story, the Children dont
conveniently line up for the chopping block. A Hero often
spends more of his time looking for Beasts and planning his
approach than actually killing them, especially since it usually
takes multiple tries against any one Beast before he succeeds.
Not all Heroes go out of their way to find villains to vanquish,
of course; some stumble from disturbance to disturbance,
living an unrelated life in between calls to arms and letting
the Primordial Dream do the hard work for them. For many,
though, thats not enough.
The Hunt
Many Heroes subscribe to the creed that the better they
know their enemy, the easier it is to emerge victorious. They
spend hours tracking down mystics and mythology experts,
delving into occult libraries, and studying historical accounts
to uncover patterns in the Beastly modus operandi. Any lore they
can find on other supernatural creatures helps, too, since they
quickly learn that the Children have a propensity for spreading
the love to other breeds of monster. The brave among them
find ways to step into the Primordial Dream as often as they
can, learning the secret pathways of the hive and memorizing
their twisting routes, dowsing for a Horror rocking the boat
in the distance. Tales make the rounds of Heroes who keep
themselves sedated and have followers transport them from
one place to another, actively seeking upheavals in their dreams
serene surface.
Others take a more practical approach to their research,
looking to human news media and rumor mills to pinpoint
scenarios that seem to carry the Childrens fingerprints. Stories
of intense nightmares, assaults with odd motives or methods,
and unusual behavior that could signify sudden phobias attract
The Hero's Journey 19
 THE VIEW FROM OUTSIDE: BEASTS
From the Childrens perspective, one Hero is bad enough. Two or more teaming up presents a new level of horror.
Imagine watching violent fanatics rile each other up to compete over who can commit murder first and congratulate
each other over it afterward. Beasts are good at making friends in the supernatural world for protection, but nobody
wants to live like a contestant on a sadistic game show where the whole audience drools in anticipation of spilling her
blood.
Fortunately, the observant Beast comes to recognize that such a partnership is tenuous and cant last. With careful ma-
nipulation, she can use the Heroes own tactics against them, playing up their unhealthy need for competition to turn
them against their fellows and expose all the little ways in which they sabotage each other. Even Heroes who organize
around competition and agree to friendly rivalry have trouble keeping their egos out of the way; a clever Beast can
deliberately make waves to kick the race into high gear and fabricate foul play or dishonorable conduct on one side
or the other to exacerbate the rising tensions between Heroes. Its a risky gamble, but it often has more appeal than
waiting for the mutually-inspired frenzy to come to her doorstep. The major advantage Beasts have over Heroes when
it comes to teamwork is that the Beasts understand how its really supposed to work.

trust of the community affected by a Beasts predations. Often
this approach leads to false alarms in which some other kind of
monster is the culprit, but thats usually a good sign, as far as
the Hero is concerned where vampires and fae lurk, a Beast
is rarely far behind. She tasks her followers with gathering
information and acting as eyes and ears, reporting back with
any suspicious talk they hear and even bringing witnesses in
for questioning.
Not every Hero is a lone wolf, at least at this stage of the
quest. Some forge wary alliances with others of their kind,
expanding their territory and increasing the likelihood of pick-
ing up hints of a Beasts presence. The teamwork never lasts
long, though. Even among pairs or small groups of Heroes
who manage to work out a system for distributing the kills,
their individualistic and self-serving natures eventually prove
too volatile to sustain the partnership. Thats why some Heroes
bypass the messy cooperation part and instead simply use their
Heroic brethren to lead them to the lions den, following their
movements in secret and slipping in to steal the kill at the last
minute. Others embrace the competition, holding contests to
drive each other to find the Beast first and sneak information
from each other whenever they get the chance.
The Kill
Finding the monster is only the first leg of the journey.
The hard part comes next: How does a Hero defeat a foe so
much more powerful than himself? In the stories, it often
comes down to grit, faith, willpower, courage, or heart. In real
life, the Hero finds such nebulous sentiments to be woefully
inadequate. For a while, at least, hes the underdog in his per-
sonal narrative he needs to fight like one. Even a longtime
Beast killer with a number of Gifts in his repertoire must be
careful going up against the monstrous resources of his foe; its
not just the personal power of the Children that makes them
dangerous, although thats certainly significant. They also carry
with them nightmarish realms that bleed into reality, befriend
other creatures just as terrible as they are, and have the ability
to transcend hiding among humanity to become truly legendary
horrors. Grit helps, but only so much.
Sometimes the answer is just more firepower. Throw
enough followers, bullets, and fire at a monster and its bound
to go down sooner or later. Heroes with the right kinds of re-
sources can bring overwhelming force to bear military-grade
equipment, whole police units, tanks, grenades, the works.
Some lead the charge from the front, heading up small armies
and firing assault rifles. Others lead from behind, using their
forces as fodder to take the brunt of the enemys attack until
all thats left is for the Hero to swoop in and finish the job.
Even if a Hero has no access to such lavish gear, the philosophy
remains the same: Bring enough people with enough weapons
and the enemy falls eventually.
For many Heroes, though, the all-in method is impracti-
cal, if not impossible. Its more common to take the guerrilla
approach, planning ambushes and using hit-and-run tactics to
harry the foe before moving in for the kill. Those with the abil-
ity to follow a Beast back to his Lair have a distinct advantage,
especially if they can combine it with Anathema or powerful
allies. Being able to track a Beast wherever he goes helps, too,
since the Hero can time her attacks to be as inconvenient for
him as possible, safe in the knowledge that no matter what
happens, she wont lose track of him.
Of course, the most devastating weapon in any Heros
arsenal is the ability to inflict (or discover) Anathema.
Heroes believe that all Beasts have inherent weaknesses, and
only the supremely confident or reckless go up against one of
the Children without giving any thought to the matter. Heroes
learn delaying tactics to give them enough time to figure out
how any given Beast can be defeated, and stage attacks solely
for the purpose of levying an Anathema. They can escape to let
it do their dirty work before returning for the final showdown.
Those who can inflict Anathema from a distance or subtly in
a crowded room milk the advantage for all its worth, and send
followers spying on the Beast afterward to monitor the effective-
ness of the weakness before choosing the right time to strike.

20 CHAPTER ONE: HEROES

 THE VIEW FROM OUTSIDE: HUNTERS
On the surface, Heroes and hunters make natural allies, but a Heros appreciation for her hunter comrades is rarely
reciprocated for long. Conspiracies and compacts with less sympathetic approaches to the Vigil might back a Hero
for a time to reap the ancillary benefits, and might not even care that her uncanny powers come from a dark source,
but many are just as suspicious of the Heros ability to track down Beasts as they are of the Beasts themselves, and
organizations like the Long Night certainly dont attribute the Heros obvious connection with the Children to some
God-given blessing. Even a group like Ashwood Abbey comes to recognize that a Hero is just a different kind of beast
with an opposing mythology defining her existence, and shes likely to land in the monster category before long.
Heroes profess to understand the Vigil, but what pushes them to hunt is far more selfish and deluded than the average
hunters humanity for humans creed or the loss-fueled vengeance that drives him. Hunters who adhere to strict codes
or struggle with the morality of their lifestyles often refuse to work with a Hero once they see to what lengths she will
go for a kill. Her propensity for dragging innocent people into her fight as followers doesnt endear her to them, either.
Inevitably, her insistence on taking the kill for herself and talking about her rightful destiny are deal breakers to the
team-oriented cell thats just trying to keep the streets safe.
A Heros singlemindedness about Beasts in particular doesnt make sense from the Vigils perspective, and even when
the Hero agrees to help hunt other monsters in exchange for aid in her own pursuits, she rarely cares enough to up-
hold her end of the bargain. She doesnt truly understand what drives the hunter to see a vampire, a possessed victim,
and a Beast as equal threats, and ultimately any alliance she makes is just an excuse to use the hunters as a means to
an end, until they become hindrances to her own self-aggrandizement. In the end, a hunter hunts for humanitys sake,
while a Hero hunts for her own.

Beast-slayers call themselves Heroes, but that doesnt by
any means imply that theyre above blatant manipulation and
trickery. Particularly patient or cruel Heroes go out of their way
to learn what the Children value so they can take it away or
threaten it. A Hero might take hostages, blackmail the Beast
or someone to whom shes close, persuade someone the Beast
trusts to betray her, keep her under surveillance or hire a pri-
vate eye to learn all her secrets, or even run a long con to earn
the Beasts trust himself before stabbing her in the back in a
vulnerable moment. Some Heroes use potent poisons, drugs,
or supernatural relics and sicknesses to weaken a Beast until
she cant mount an effective defense.
Finally, despite the Children feeling familial about their
fellow otherworldly creatures, nothing guarantees that such
creatures return the sentiment. A Hero who probes the super-
natural underworld of an area inevitably unearths potential
allies in her quest, albeit temporary ones. Plenty of the nights
denizens have reasons to oppose Beasts who might be co-opting
their prey, upsetting the usual balance of power, or poking their
noses into things they shouldnt. Heroes are often much more
willing to strike deals with monsters than hunters are, since
their real concerns have nothing much to do with principle or
revenge. They also make deals with the hunters themselves, as
they possess shared goals and have the ability to lead a hunter
cell straight to a monsters den. Hunters actually make better
allies than other Heroes do, since a Hero has no need to view
them as competition except insofar as he must be sure to strike
the final blow.

The Hero's Journey 21

 CANDY RASMUSSEN
VOICE OF THE VICTIM
The people want to hear your every single scream. I need you to scream for
everyone you ever hurt. Do you think you could do that for me?

Background
As a quiet student of media and politics, Candy Rasmussen
never stood out or made a fuss. Candy wasnt an exemplary
study, but she was committed to her degree as a keen scholar
of modern propaganda and the online medium for news com-
munication. Rasmussen rarely found time to socialize with
others, but her charisma and skill in persuasion shone when
she was in front of a camera. Candy was gifted in wordplay and
evoking emotional responses from the viewer; her lecturers told
her repeatedly that when following the correct script she would
change minds and make an impact.
Rasmussen never had an interest in using someone elses
words. With just a camera, the walls of her dorm room as back-
ground, and her opinions, she began to deliver improvised opin-
ion pieces aimed at the student body. Candy was disappointed
to find her viewership rarely rose higher than single digits.
One of those viewers was a similar devotee of media. Candy
found bunches of flowers waiting for her after three days of
broadcasting, and a new camera after two weeks. A note was
attached, inviting her to the universitys media library. Curious,
nave, and flattered by the attention, Candy encountered her
fan at the appointed time, meeting a shy, nervous, damp im-
pression of a sophomore. The boy introduced himself as Jess.
As Candy thanked him for his praise, he gushed about the
validity of her points of view, and offered to host her vlog on
his moderately popular debate society website. In exchange, he
asked for minor input into the content of the vlogs. Rasmussen
weighed the creepiness of the offer against the opportunity for
increased publicity and accepted within minutes.
To their mutual surprise, Candy and Jess formed the per-
fect team. The two increased her popularity to the point that
everyone at the university knew her face and words. Rasmussen
worried for a time that Jess had romantic designs, but his interest
in her and specifically, her voice was purely platonic. The
pair became friends and confidantes; Jess suggested an occa-
sional byline while obtaining more ad sponsors and increasing
the websites viewership, and Candy ascended the ranks of the
student union, becoming a major voice for their rights.
As Rasmussens star rose, nightmare-driven insomnia
denied her rest. Terrible dreams of suffocating under mucus,
sewage, and filthy water would jolt her awake, where she inevi-
tably found her skin covered in grime and her bed despoiled.
The nighttime horrors started severely affecting her study and
work. During one night of terror, Candy sleepwalked across
campus to the media library, unknowingly drawn to the source
of her nightmares.
Entering the room in which she first met her friend Jess,
she beheld something terrible. Hunched over, hulking, and drip-
ping in viscous fluid a slippery approximation of Jess writhed
in the midst of reels and filming equipment. Rasmussen broke
from her daze to see the true form of her yearlong companion.
Jess just looked over his shoulder and formed a jagged smile,
beckoning Candy to join him, before moving to hook up a
video camera. Turning his back on Candy proved to be a fatal
error. Horrified and betrayed by the friend who infected her
dreams, she grabbed Jess lighter from his dropped rucksack,
and put it to a shelf of old celluloid, locking the door on the
Beast trapped within. She stayed long enough to hear his
screams as the highly-flammable nitrates ignited around the
trapped Collector.
A Hero was born.
The university treated Jess death as a tragic accident.
Candy Rasmussen felt abandoned by her deceased companion,
but with the nightmares banished, she pursued her media
goals in earnest. Without Jess support, however, her chan-
nel plateaued. She had the personality to win subscriptions
and monetary support, but was unable to find reach beyond
her campus. Candy attempted to tackle hard subjects such as
poverty, sexual health, religious freedoms, and political corrup-
tion, but the world failed to care about her or her opinions.
Slaying Jess was a pyrrhic achievement, at best. As she reached
her second year at university, she prepared to quit the life of a
social media personality.
Candys attitude changed when the nightmares returned.
The terrors she experienced in her dreams were not identi-
cal to the ones from before, but held similarities. She dreamt
of the giant face of a man, descending on her from the sky. He
snapped at her with teeth like boulders and overwhelmed her
with his bulk in every nightmare. She recognized the face as that
of a local bank manager, controversially released from prison,
whom she had mentioned in a vlog the week before. With her
scant remaining pull, Candy arranged for him to come along
to the university as a sit-down guest for a 15-minute segment.
She wanted to be sure he was like Jess: a monster responsible
for the torment of innocents.

22 CHAPTER ONE: HEROES

 The Anakim laughed at her questions about ethics, openly
mocking her when she enquired whether he learned anything as
a result of his incarceration. He called her a naive, wet liberal.
After the interview Rasmussen, with tears in her eyes, addressed
the camera in a heartfelt, apparently unrehearsed speech:
The sad truth is weve made this world a gray, uncaring
place where everyone does the bare minimum to get by.
The people want to believe in ideals, but harsh reality
tells them hope and faith are mistakes. To hell with the
needs of innocent victims crushed beneath the wheels
of grinding prosperity. The man who sat beside me is
a crook a beast. Nobody will address this because
he has the most expensive lawyers in the country. But
let me tell you now, live: the people need to hear the
strong voice of someone bold enough to tell the
greedy magnates, bent politicians, and violent
criminals theyre wrong. Their victims wont
take this any longer. The beast beside me, and
everyone like him, need to be shown we wont
take their shit any longer.
The incendiary words went viral within
hours. Rasmussens face and speech became a
meme across social networks and a subject of
discussion around water coolers. She received
a lawsuit from the banker within a week,
and went on to publicize this on her show.
Her viewership went up, and the banker
received regular harassment and threats
of harm. When asked to comment
on the danger posed to her former
guest, Candy remarked, Let him
be threatened. The rest of us
have to live that way our entire
lives due to predators like him.
When he appeared on her show,
she knew he was a Beast. Candy also
knew she was unable to do anything
against him personally, but by utilizing
her persuasive skills, she successfully
shifted public opinion against him.
Another Hero happened to watch her
broadcast, and recognized the signs.
Candy wasnt responsible for the explo-
sion that consumed the Beasts Lair,
but she lit the fuse.
The man responsible for the Beasts
death a Hero calling himself the Web
Weaver began writing fan mail to Candy.
Encoded in his letters of praise were
identities and locations of other Beasts
he tracked, but was unable to engage.
Recognizing the advice of a kindred spirit,
Candy began to lace her vlogs with this
information. One night Candy presented
a special report on urban decay, unob-
trusively highlighting the locations of
several Lairs. Another time she performed an expos on gang
culture, highlighting one group actually consisting of a brood
of Beasts. Every week there would be at least one segment dedi-
cated to someone or somewhere connected to Beasts.
Growing Louder
Candys vlog Voice of the Victim focused pri-
marily on sufferers and perpetrators in an area local to
her university. As more Heroes tuned in to her show,
Candys fame grew. She began to receive financial
backing from wealthy supporters of similar mindsets.
Her website became intensely popular for those with
an axe to grind against any perceived wrongdoer. It
provided support to authentic victims of abuse
and hardship, and Candy was always swift
to respond to pleas for aid or sympathy.
It also provided a source of intelligence
for Heroes to use against Beasts. Voice
of the Victim became the preferred net-
work for Heroes in the know, who used
Rasmussen, her forums, and her fan
community to pass on information about
targets and safe houses, and to proclaim
victories over infamous Beasts.
Beasts noticed Voice of the Victims
actions as their addresses, places of work,
and families were featured on the publicly-
visible website. The furor surrounding the
site made Candys visible aims a particular
concern to Beasts lairing on campuses. A youth-
ful brood attempted legal action against the Hero
initially, but, finding no traction, plotted her
abduction. Foolishly, the brood broadcasted plans
of the attack across social media, where word of
it leaked to Candy. Rasmussen anticipated their
assault and recorded every step of their aggres-
sion. The Heros loyal fans on campus students
and teachers both intercepted the Beasts. After
forming a human wall around the vloggers build-
ing, they fanatically and violently defended
Rasmussen. Candy uploaded footage of
the broods unsuccessful raid that evening,
along with her voiceover mocking the
vengeful beasts. Police intervened to ask
Candy whether she wished to press charges
or required protection. The Hero declined
both. She knew other Heroes would soon
eliminate the Beasts, whose faces were online
for everyone to see.
Following the attempt on her life,
Rasmussen strengthened her fan base
into a bona fide cult of personality.
Understanding the best defense against
Beasts would be a loyal following of
admirers and devotees standing in their
way, she made herself well known across
multiple online and television channels as
Candy Rasmussen 23
 that girl who stands up for innocents. With support from
the university faculty, Candy appeared across multiple news
networks in interviews where she stated her lack of fear, and
invited the downtrodden youth to attend seminars hosted by her
on campus, as well as counseling chats online both of which
were broadcasted live and uncut. The subsequent media cover-
age of her untrained, but astute, massage of victims emotions
became a hit. Those in need of a caring ear for their problems or
a shoulder to cry on found a young, deeply dedicated source of
empathy in Candy and her website. All the while, Beasts raged
as they found the Heros once-paltry defenses strengthened by
adoring supplicants and do-gooders. Heroes toasted Candy as
she continued to release information regarding their enemies as
lead stories in a broadcast or in the subtext of a vlog, sometimes
overtly, other times encoded. The messages always got through,
and Candy Rasmussens following increased further.
Rasmussen is one of the best-known Heroes in the world
due to her media presence and ever-present disciples. Some
Beasts even wonder whether shes an innocent being played by
Heroes. They are as fooled by her guiltless appearance and good
works with the truly downtrodden as her supporters. Few Beasts
want to cleave through innocent puppets in order to reach her.
They just watch, frustrated, as she plants targets on the backs
of those who cant assail her without their own identities and
lives being exposed for the world and Heroes to see.
Description
Rasmussen never found out if Jess intended to infect her
with his nightmares, or if they were a byproduct of their close-
ness. She never discovered whether Jess meant for her to stumble
into his Lair, or if she was destined to enter and slay the Beast.
The overriding emotion Candy felt with the discovery of her
nightmares source was humiliation, and its one shes never
been able to shake. Despite that, she struggles to reconcile his
slaying as anything other than murder. She knows Jess was her
closest frienduntil she killed him.
This feeling of guilt colors everything Candy does through
her vlog and public works. She serves the causes of other Heroes
diligently and without question, and truly believes the majority
of their targets are deserving of painful deaths. She then directs
the money she gains from Heroes towards increasing her public
image, and assisting genuinely innocent victims of persecution
and hate. She sees the shy and reluctant Jess in many of the
youths who come to her channel for assistance. By interviewing
them, highlighting their plight, and raising awareness of abuse
and neglect, she believes she can be a force for good in the
world, while mitigating her guilt, if only briefly.
Candys reasoning is one of misguided altruism. She be-
lieves Beasts taint what they touch and harm what they love.
She blindly ascribes most of the worlds ills to the activities of
Beasts, ignoring the possibility of human corruption when a
Beast could bear the blame. For all her attempts at charity and
compassion, her methods and the results always come back to
hurting Beasts for reasons largely in her head.
Not all subscribers use Candys web presence to assist in the
persecution of Beasts. Some intentionally direct her to target
24 CHAPTER ONE: HEROES
STORY HOOKS
One of the Beasts in the protagonists brood receives
an invitation to participate in a Voice of the Victim
interview. Logic dictates making an appearance on
the show would be foolish, yet such an opportunity
may lead to the brood getting close enough to
Rasmussen to stop her activities. Perhaps she can be
convinced that her agenda is one of blind aggression
and talked into giving up her role as a Hero. Then
again, if the brood prefers a more violent approach,
stopping her in a more lethal fashion is an option. No
doubt, shell be recording everything taking place
around her, no matter what.
As is the way with all families, Beasts dont neces-
sarily get along. When Candy Rasmussen broad-
casts a special on a group of unsavory individu-
als who prey on the innocent, the characters
realize shes talking about a rival brood in the
same city. Theyre forced to decide whether or not
to warn them. If Heroes take out their longtime en-
emies, it frees up territory and removes a big thorn
from their collective side. Then again, perhaps
blood is thicker than petty rivalry.
As one of the Beasts enters a church, a therapists
office, or another place of quiet refuge, they spy
a heavily-disguised Candy Rasmussen exiting.
Supposedly, Rasmussen goes nowhere alone, yet
in this instance shes unaccompanied by any of her
hangers on. This is a golden opportunity to stalk
the Hero, engage her while shes undefended,
or simply find out more about her. What dark-
ness does she contain that drives her to a place of
counseling and contemplation, and is it possible to
reach her with words instead of resorting to claws
and Horrors?
innocents of no supernatural stripe, knowing how credulous
her cult of personality has become. Believable stories of villainy
persuade her to assign outraged mobs or subtle killers against
any credible target. Candy refuses to pry deeply into the stories
submitted, unprepared to acknowledge that people may dupe
her. She has to believe shes doing good deeds, and that shes
not a monster acting as a broker for even worse monsters.
Rasmussen sees nobody as a friend. She identifies allies
within the ranks of Heroes. She sees followers to maneuver and
manipulate among those who avidly watch and fund her. The
innocents who use Voice of the Victim as a place for commu-
nicating their genuine ills are among the few Candy respects,
though pity contaminates this feeling. She invests much of the
money contributed to her website in support groups for the
victims, as well as increasing her own exposure, allowing her
to reach more troubled individuals. To all appearances, Candy
is a young philanthropist with a big heart. Whether through
accident or by design, every one of Candys investments in Voice
of the Victim has paid off dividends, with profits returning
to her own pocket and the funding of Heroes activities. The
website isnt a charity, and Candys never advertised it as such.
Shes encountered several Beasts face to face in interviews and
during exposs, holding her own as an indignant and outraged
member of the public. She lambasts her targets without pause, be-
fore setting her entourage on them then, or later. She fears getting
close enough to a Beast to realize they may have a decent side, so
she doesnt allow such creatures to get a word in edgewise. Candy
attempts to target Beasts her viewership will judge unsympatheti-
cally. When she does profile an innocent-seeming brood, childlike
Beast, or unobtrusive Lair, she has the skill to twist a tale and make
a mostly harmless person into a ravenous public enemy.
Candy has accompanied bands of Heroes on hunts for
Beast families. She never actively participates in an assault,
instead voyeuristically recording the Heroes sadistic attacks.
She experiences a thrill from watching Beasts being put down,
though nausea occasionally overwhelms her while watching the
footage. Her goading dialogue, recorded over the visuals, excites
and sickens her in equal measure. She stores these videos on a
well-hidden external hard drive, and only loads them up when
shes not brought the life of a Beast to an end in recent months.
Shes beginning to realize she has an addiction to slaying Beasts,
even if the only part she plays is as information network to the real
killers. She doesnt know how to break this feeling, and doesnt
understand the Primordial Dream, but such discoveries arent
pressing. Candy derives enough pleasure from her popularity,
success, and how she helps innocents while throwing Beasts
under the bus, that shes content at this time to plow on.
Candy has not left her university and, despite the amount
of money she earns through online exposure, rarely dresses up.
She prefers casual, relaxed clothing, favoring yoga pants and a
hoodie to go along with the sports bag she keeps slung over her
shoulder. Even in front of a camera, she wears little makeup.
Candy has a natural beauty and a look of innocence in her
almond eyes and warm smile, the freckles across her nose and
cheeks enhancing the appearance of nave youth. She knows
these features play a large part in her popularity, and doesnt
feel ashamed of using them to enrich her profile.
Rumors
For a Hero, she sure puts a lot of barriers between her and us.
Theres so many people following and obeying her, I doubt shell ever
hunt us personally.
Rasmussen has little appetite for engaging Beasts directly,
and has killed only one Beast herself. While she understands
the power conveyed by a Beasts slaying, and a significant part of
her desires more of this power, Candys approach is ultimately
pragmatic. She feels safer and in control of the situation when
she can manipulate others.
Candy will sacrifice any number of followers to bring a
Beast down, as she knows the cause is worthwhile. She harbors
minimal desire to engage a Beast one on one, therefore frus-
trating many who would love to end her activities. Rasmussen
knows her limits, and hides behind monitors and minions for
as long as she is able.
Rasmussen hates vampires about as much as she hates us. She
was a slave to one of them once, but slipped free of her mistress men-
tal control and burnt the vampire to death. Seems she learned a thing
or two while in her service, given how she can influence a crowd.
A gift Candys always possessed is a stellar skill of persua-
sion to a degree Beasts call unnatural. Some Beasts believe its
in her blood, conveyed by a vampire master. To Candys knowl-
edge, shes never imbibed a vampires vitae, or come under the
influence of such a creature. Her connections to the undead are
few. Vampires of the Carthian Movement have been monitoring
the Voice of the Victim as a means to pass on information in
a similar fashion to Heroes who use it.
Neither vampires nor Heroes know the others are interested in
Candys vlogs. Rasmussen does know, having been approached by a
young Daeva with an offer of Embrace, but is stringing the vampires
along until she can determine whether they act as a hindrance or
a help to Beasts. Just as with her other followers, shes prepared
to milk the Carthians for their uses, before disposing of them.
If she wasnt so eaten up with regret for killing her precious
Jess, she might amount to something. Until then, shes about as use-
ful as her channel is at assisting victims, as she calls them.
Some Heroes believe Rasmussen is a pathetic example to
set for aspiring Heroes: a weak link due to her visibility. She
knows much about Hero activity across the world and, while
she cannot identify her peers by name, she can easily pinpoint
anticipated locations, or lead Heroes into traps set by Beasts.
Such a danger is too much to tolerate.
Legend: Champion
Life: Philanthropist
Mental Attributes: Intelligence 3, Wits 2, Resolve 2
Physical Attributes: Strength 2, Dexterity 2, Stamina 2
Social Attributes: Presence 4, Manipulation 5,
Composure 4
Mental Skills: Academics 2, Computer 2, Investigation 1,
Occult (Beasts, Vampires) 3, Politics 2
Physical Skills: Athletics 3, Drive 2, Firearms 2,
Weaponry 1
Social Skills: Empathy 3, Expression (Melodrama) 3,
Intimidation 1, Persuasion (Rabble-Rousing) 5, Socialize 3,
Subterfuge 2
Merits: Allies (Heroes) 3, Contacts (Social Media),
Fame 3, Inspiring, Resources 4, Status (Media) 2
Gifts: Kinslayer
Health: 7
Willpower: 6
Integrity: 4
Size: 5
Speed: 9
Initiative: 6
Defense: 5
Armor:
Notes: Candy keeps a camera in her sports bag at
all times.
Candy Rasmussen 25
 DANIEL GREENE
THE SILVERSMITH
I know your weaknesses. Ive cut off your escape routes. Can we get this over
with? Ive got a ton of orders to ship out, and the post office closes at five.
Background
There was never a time in Dannys life when he believed
the world was safe. His parents were fanatical hunters who were
constantly on the road, sniffing after rumors that might turn
up evidence of monsters. Not even his impending arrival could
slow them down; his mother went into labor while hunting a
vampire, and gave birth to him in a barn in a rural Nebraska
town so small it wasnt even a dot on the map. He was barely
hours old when his father anointed him in the family tradition,
a smear of monster blood across the forehead to dedicate him
into the family business.
Danny grew up in a series of temporary homes, left in the
care of family friends and semi-retired hunters while his parents
continued their crusade. At an age when most kids were learn-
ing their alphabet and playing with friends, Danny absorbed
monster lore and learned how to create simple protection
talismans out of wire and string. Christmas, when celebrated,
netted him books on obscure arcana, handcrafted hunting gear,
and a small arsenal of weapons.
Due to the transient nature of his parents lifestyle, Dannys
formal education was sporadic when he began to accompany
them on their routine hunts. Though his mother taught him
how to read, write, and perform basic mathematics, often in
cheap motel rooms sprawled across a bed or over the daily
special at a diner, he learned almost nothing of geography,
history, or science except where it benefitted him as an ap-
prentice hunter.
The most stability in his life came at the age of 10, when
his parents left him with his aunt Marissa in order to hunt a
dangerous vampire, and never returned. Instead of turning him
over to child protective services, Marissa decided to raise Danny
as her own. Though she had once been a hunter, Marissa was
determined to provide Danny with the things his parents had
found frivolous or unnecessary. For the first time in his life,
Danny found himself with all the trappings of a normal child-
hood: his own bedroom, toys, books, and enrollment in school.
Ironically, life soon proved to be much harder for Danny
in a stable home than it had been on the road with his parents.
The holes in his education handicapped him from the first day
of school, keeping him constantly lagging behind his classmates,
and the resulting bullying, coupled with his instinctual distrust
of strangers, made him a friendless outcast for most of his years
26 CHAPTER ONE: HEROES
in school. Despite Marissas constant encouragement, Danny
grew disillusioned and frustrated, and the day he turned 16, he
dropped out of school entirely. Marissa attempted to convince
him to go back, but Danny had already given up. Not even his
aunts ultimatum of go back or get out of my house worked.
Instead of returning to finish his education, Danny packed up
and hit the road.
Death Wish
He drifted for months, working odd jobs for cash in towns
he passed through. Though his hunter lore had been more or
less left dormant for six years, he found it easy to slide into
the lifestyle his parents had led, and soon made a name for
himself amongst other independent hunters as the crazy kid
with the death wish.
Danny was well on his way to a violent, bloody end, but
that changed the day he met Ben.
It happened like a Hollywood romance: During a busy
lunch rush at a diner, Danny found himself sharing his booth
space with a stranger who seemed to be allergic to silence, a cute
twentysomething who introduced himself as Ben. Whether it
was sheer loneliness, attraction, or the novelty of a social situa-
tion with someone who wasnt shouting at him or calling him
names, Danny soon found himself lingering over coffee and pie,
listening to Ben talk about everything from music to politics to
current events. Even though Danny didnt have much to offer,
he was happy to listen, and Ben was happy to talk.
Lunch turned into dinner, dinner turned into a movie,
the movie turned into spending the night, and almost before
he knew it, he was in a relationship. For a time, Ben gave
Danny everything he desperately craved: attention, affection,
and respect. In a frighteningly short period, Ben became the
whole of Dannys world, even though he sometimes felt a thrill
of fear at the look in Bens eyes, like he wasnt a partner, but a
plaything to be devoured.
When the nightmares started, Danny didnt think anything
of it. Hed always had recurring dreams of loneliness and isola-
tion, was used to being chased by bullies and monsters through
his sleep, and a few night terrors were par for the course when
one hunted monsters.
He didnt notice until months had passed that the night-
mares always coincided with Bens mood swings into anger
and condescension, always following that fearsome expression
on his face. Danny tried to convince himself he was imagining
things, and was even successful for a little while, but eventually,
he couldnt ignore it anymore.
It ended like a Hollywood horror film: the next time Ben
raised his eyes across the dinner table with that alien hunger
in them, Danny saw a huge thing with sharp teeth and
burning eyes, slavering for his flesh, his soul, and his
mind. Danny didnt think, he just reacted to the threat.
He lunged for the carving knife lying between them
and vaulted over the table, taking Ben to the floor.
The scuffle was vicious and bloody, and Danny would
never remember exactly what happened, but the next
thing he remembered was sitting on the floor next to
Bens body, covered with Bens blood, holding the
knife that had carved out his lovers throat.
Under the cover of darkness, Danny
snuck Bens body into the trunk of his car
and took it to a nearby swamp where he
weighted it and sunk it into the mire. He
returned to their home long enough to
pack his belongings and then Danny holed
up in a cheap motel for nearly a week,
trying to process what he had seen and
what he had done. When he emerged,
he was no longer a mere mortal hunter;
he was now a Hero.
Never Again
Danny soon found evidence of
another monsters predations, and
discovered a Beast too powerful for
him. Luckily, another Hero hap-
pened to be hunting the same Beast,
and arrived in time to save Danny from
certain death. The Hero, a woman
named Cecily Souza, angrily ripped
Danny up one side and down the other
for interfering in her pursuit of the
now-dead Beast. When she realized
Danny had only recently awoken
as a Hero, she decided to take him
under her wing and teach him a few
things, if only so he wouldnt end
up killing himself on the hunt.
Though he didnt stay with
Cecily long, it was long enough
to understand that the world was
much more complex than even
hunters comprehended. It was
also long enough for Danny
to take a long, hard look
at the consequences of
giving into his recklessness
and impulsiveness, and to
realize that changes were in order if
he was going to save the world from
the predations of horrific Beasts.
He returned to his aunt Marissas house to secure her assis-
tance in his new purpose, counting on her decades of experience
with her former vigil to help formulate his long-term strategies
and plans of attack. With her counsel to help him, Danny
grew proficient in stalking his quarry, learned how to
identify their weaknesses and vulnerable areas, adding
the lessons of two successful kills and two humiliat-
ing defeats to his repertoire within the first year. By
the time Marissa died of breast cancer a few years
later, she had helped Danny construct a network of
informants, allies, and peers with an eye to sharing
information and assistance.
When a serious injury from a fight
with a Makara sidelined him for nearly
a year, Danny found himself at wits
end, driven to hunt by a lifetime of
instinct and purpose, but without
the ability. Reaching out to his
contacts, he found another Hero
willing to teach him metal work-
ing, and secured several materials-
suppliers from hunters who owed
him favors. Most of his year of
recovery was spent at a homemade
forge, hammering metal into talis-
mans and weapons. Within several
months of long, daily practice, his
skill was great enough that he began
attracting customers.
Satisfied customers bring re-
peat business and new clientele, and
Dannys budding smith business soon
became a trusted entity in the worlds
of hunters and Heroes. If another Hero
needs an expert blade, they contact Danny.
Danny recently began to sell his wares online,
some through hunter- or Hero-only avenues,
others to the general population. His handle,
silversmith78, is considered an authority on
the occult, folklore, and talismanic magic,
and his customer satisfaction rating is
proportionately high.
Description
Now in his mid-30s, Danny has the
life experience of a man twice his age, and
the scars to prove it. The headstrong im-
patience of youth is far behind him, and
it is rare that he rushes into anything
anymore, whether its a conversa-
tion with a potential one-night
stand or the Lair of a Beast he
has been stalking for months. He
is suspicious and cautious by nature,
preferring to view new situations
Daniel Greene 27
 and people from as many angles as possible, forming his opin-
ion over time instead of relying on snap judgements.
While Danny often disseminates the information he
gathers to hunters and the occasional fellow Hero, he remains
a formidable foe in his own right. Unless given a compelling
reason to act immediately, Danny takes his time to stalk his
target in order to understand and predict his opponent and
maximize his chances of success. He has little patience for
theatrics, isnt given to monologues or impassioned speeches
in combat, and strikes in what he calculates to be the most
efficient way to take down a Beast fast and hard. His preferred
weapon is a sword he forged himself, but he has on occasion
used firearms or explosives to take out particularly troublesome
or well-protected Beasts.
Though he is not unsympathetic to the victims of Beasts,
Danny often treats them as tools in his arsenal, and isnt
averse to using them as bait to draw out his current target. He
respects mortal hunters who choose to take up the vigil, and
assists them as he can, but rarely goes out of his way to provide
aid for someone he doesnt know well. His relationships with
his neighbors are ambivalent; most of the unenlightened who
know him consider him a kooky hermit at best, and a danger-
ous lunatic who is most likely sacrificing small animals and
debauching virgins for demonic forces at worst.
Despite his outsider nature, Danny has little problem
blending into the populations of any town or city. He prefers
blue jeans and work shirts for their utility in the workshop,
in combat, and in everyday life, and rarely changes his style of
dress unless given no other option. His hair is always a little
too long, brown and shaggy, and his erratic shaving habits have
him varying between a scruffy week-old beard and a rough five
oclock shadow. Years of metalworking and Beast-slaying left
him with calluses and burn scars on his hands, and well-defined
upper body muscles. He drinks too much and sleeps too little,
and his eyes are bloodshot and shadowed from a combination
of sleep debt and hangover.
Rumors
Danny Greene? Man, what a freak. I knew him in school,
and he was just as weird then as he is now. He had that budding
serial killer look, yknow? Now hes got all these strange people com-
ing and going at all hours of the day and night. I swear hes started
a Satanic cult or something up there. Which makes sense, I guess.
If Id pegged anyone for a cult leader, itd be him.
While keeping his base of operations in a small town
means Danny can readily identify outsiders and potential
threats, it also works the other way. His neighbors easily pick
out the hunters and occasional other Heroes who visit his
home for information, help, or specialized tools and weapons.
Life in small towns can be boring, and many of the townsfolk
are unrepentant gossips, taking pleasure in spinning tall tales
about whats really going on at the old Greene property. The
most popular explanation is that he is the leader of a dooms-
day cult, but stories of running drugs, engaging in human
trafficking, or flat-out Satanic worship also occasionally make
the rounds in town.
28 CHAPTER ONE: HEROES
STORY HOOKS
The Silversmith is sighted in an area the brood
frequents, but its difficult to discern if hes there for
a member of the brood, or another Begotten who
resides nearby. A canny Begotten may be able to
capitalize on his presence to rid herself of a rival,
or perhaps call upon other Begotten in the area to
attack the Silversmith in force, removing him as a
threat permanently.
A cell of hunters friendly with the Silversmith is
wounded after losing a fight with a pack of were-
wolves, and is spotted fleeing to his house in order
to recuperate and rearm. An opportunity for alli-
ance rises when the werewolves give chase to the
cell; the Silversmiths home is well-defended, but
those defenses may crumble under a joint attack
by both Begotten and shapeshifters.
Hunter activity has taken an uptick. Normally,
Beasts dont pay too much mind to mortal idiots
who try to take them head-on, but times are not
normal. Recently, two prominent members of
the Begotten community have turned up dead,
sliced to pieces by sharp blades. Also recently, a
survivor of an attack reported that the hunters are
carrying weapons that allow some of the innate
abilities of Heroes to transfer to the hunters carry-
ing them. While the single longsword recovered
from a scene has no makers mark, the hunters call
themselves the Silver Smiths, which is evidence
enough for some to consider retaliating against the
Silversmith before he can arm more hunters with
his Hero-making weapons.
The Silversmith knows how to keep us out of dreams. Look,
let me show you. He has this Etsy store where he sells this shit. See
that? This handcrafted, personalized dreamcatcher is designed ac-
cording to ancient dreamlore to offer security and protection against
the horrors that stalk your sleep. Theres nothing else it could
mean, worded like that.
While it is true that Danny makes and sells trinkets via his
online stores, none of them have any innate talismanic power
beyond the placebo effect. The descriptions in the listings of
several of his protective handcrafts, however, are carefully opti-
mized to attract the victims of Begotten seeking relief from their
nightmares. Every purchase is investigated, using the information
provided in the shipping address as a starting point. Though it
is not a foolproof method, it has resulted in the discovery of a
handful of true victims, enough for Danny to continue using it.
I swear, I got the email yesterday. Greenes flipped his shit.
Hes working with the goddamn monsters now. Beckett out in
Amarillo said he was down there last week and Greene sat in a
caf, talking to one of those Giants. Greene gets up, leaves town.
Three hours later, the safe house is hit. Local cell of hunters com-
pletely wiped out, man. And its on Greenes hands.
 While it is true that Danny occasionally allows a Beast to
pass unmolested if they are not presenting a threat to humans
in the area, its patently false that he would ever betray Heroes
or hunters to them. In some cases, this is simply a case of mis-
taken identity. In others, its a vicious rumor spread by rival
Heroes or even Beasts, seeking to discredit him and turn his
own allies against him.
There are three kinds of Heroes, kid. You got your fanatics,
that track you to the ends of the earth and face you in your hoary
den and other melodramatic bullshit. Then you got the idealists,
the ones who go on grand quests and slay the dragon and rescue
the princess. Then there are the pragmatists. Silversmith? Hes one
of the latter. And, he gives zero fucks if youre a Begotten, human,
or other kind of boogeyman. If youre a monster, he ends you. But
sometimes it works out. Ive used him as a cleaning service from
time to time, making sure a pack of wolves or fangs end up some-
where he can find em. Enemy of my enemy, and all that.
Danny sees few differences between other denizens of
the world and the Beasts he hunts. Though he will prioritize
a Beast, if prioritizing is necessary, he considers anything that
preys on the weak and innocent to be fair game. It is the fun-
damental principle of his life, instilled in him from birth by
his extensive hunter lifestyle, and it drives a significant portion
of his Legend. Smart Beasts capitalize on the Silversmiths
incursion into their territory by manipulating their enemies
to cross his path while they lay low in their Lairs.
DWIGHT WHITTAKER
THE WEB WEAVER
You might think different, but youve been trapped ever since you blundered
into my web. I caught you a year ago and weve been playing ever since.
Time for the game to end.
Background
Those who know the Web Weaver know the legend of
a man whos part arachnid, constructing traps designed to
ensnare prey until he finds the time or inclination to feed on
them. While the real Hero is quite human, its a tale Dwight
Whittaker propagates. He adores feeling a monsters fear. Each
Beast slain must be more impressive than the last. Accounts
tell of the Web Weavers desire to become a nightmare to
Beasts. His in-depth knowledge of booby traps, poisons, and
explosives leads to once trusted shadows, safe places, and even
Legend: Watcher
Life: Efficient
Mental Attributes: Intelligence 3, Wits 3, Resolve 2
Physical Attributes: Strength 4, Dexterity 3, Stamina 3
Social Attributes: Presence 2, Manipulation 2,
Composure 3
Mental Skills: Academics 1, Computer 1, Crafts 3,
Investigation (Lairs) 3, Occult (Monsters) 3
Physical Skills: Athletics 2, Brawl 2, Drive 2, Stealth
(Stalking) 2, Survival 2, Weaponry 3
Social Skills: Intimidation 2, Presence 2, Socialize 1,
Streetwise 2
Merits: Contacts (Bloggers), Contacts (Hunters), Library
(Occult) 3, Professional Training (Smith) 2, Resources 2,
Safe Place 2
Gifts: Loremaster, Chosen Blade
Health: 8
Willpower: 5
Integrity: 4
Size: 5
Speed: 12
Initiative: 6
Defense: 5
Armor: 2/0
Notes: Dannys Chosen Blade is a longsword. Damage:
4L, Initiative Modifier: -3, Size: 3
Danny uses Intelligenct + Occult for Loremaster, using
research into arcane monsters to find Beast weaknesses.
The Professional Training Merit is found on p. 48 of the
Chronicles of Darkness Rulebook.
Lairs becoming sources of uncertainty and trepidation for all
but the most headstrong of his prey.
Beasts assume Whittaker has an extensive military back-
ground; his forte in stalking and snaring is attributed to a his-
tory performing black-ops in hostile territory. The man who
became Dwight Whittaker would have loved rigging elaborate
traps and orchestrating assassinations in legal service to his
country, the United States, but the failure of a psychological
exam abruptly terminated his role as an explosive ordinance
disposal specialist. He exhibited an unhealthy admiration for
Dwight Whittaker 29
 al-Qaeda and the Islamic States nuanced approach to bomb
design and placement. The review board classified him as suit-
able only for tactical planning, and never to be utilized as an
active disposal specialist.
Dwight bitterly disavowed himself of his nation and
went AWOL, abandoning his new desk job and elect-
ing to travel off the beaten track through Mexico all
the way to Brazil, in search of a new focus. His former
commanding officers jeep exploded three weeks after
Whittaker disappeared, and terrorists received the
blame for her death. It was, in fact, the first occasion
the young Hero-in-waiting put his morbid fascination
with traps to work an elaborate bomb attached to the
vehicles electronics was triggered to detonate
only after receiving a sufficient charge.
In monthly letters to his parents,
Whittaker alluded to secret work he
pursued for the government. In truth,
once he left America he adopted the
name Dwight Whittaker and for years
roamed Brazil, working security for
logging enterprises and university re-
search teams operating in and around
the Amazon rainforest. Dwight
studied alongside the scientists he
accompanied, becoming familiar
with and delighting in the flora
and fauna of the Amazon. He
developed a particular attraction to
the toxins of the native bugs dwell-
ing in the rainforest, and excelled
in untrained study of toxicology.
As the years passed, his affection
extended to one of the scientists, a
So Paulo professor named Sam dos
Santos Cruz. The Namtaru upon
whose Lair the research team un-
knowingly camped cut any thoughts
of romance short.
Whenever the research team
stopped to work, it was Whittakers job
to clear the forest floor and ensure noth-
ing would intrude on the research camp.
He would sweep the location for signs of
indigenous peoples and dangerous crea-
tures. The one threat he was unprepared
to face was one able to attack the dreams
of its prey.
On a nauseatingly hot night, the
science crew camped next to the river.
Only Whittaker remained awake. He
stared into the flowing water and
thought deeply of the professor.
Simultaneous cries from the team
broke his reverie as they stumbled
from tents scratching at their skin and
30 CHAPTER ONE: HEROES
screaming into the darkness. He darted to the scene and found
the group in the grip of what he assumed was a hallucination
induced by contaminated food or water. He could do nothing
to shake the dreamers from their nightmares. As scientists began
to flee in separate directions into the rainforest, he spied
the roiling, pulsing figure of horror in the tree canopy
a Gorgon possessing a body made from hundreds of
insects and bearing the head of a wide-mawed millipede.
The Beast stared at Dwight, and Dwight not suffering
the same mental phantasms as his charges stared back.
The Namtaru slowly retreated into the darkness, and
it was then that Dwight realized he couldnt find Sam.
He delved into the rainforest and recovered every one of
the research team he could find, each of them bewil-
dered by the events of the night. Not a one of
them knew what became of Sam. Whittaker
spent days searching for him, even after the
scientists moved on, but never found him.
Desperate, hungry, and consumed by
wrath, Whittaker traveled back to the site
where the Namtaru struck, watching and
waiting for signs of the Beast. Spotting oc-
casional glimpses of its writhing form, he
awaited a time when he was sure the area
was clear, and placed improvised booby
traps and explosives over the area while he
took the Gorgons previous hiding spot in
the trees. In the night, the Beast returned
and the fireworks that followed nearly
blinded Whittaker; the traps hed set
went off in perfect order as his
quarry stumbled from one to
the other, before the maimed
and burning creature literally
folded its being into the tree
on which Whittaker perched.
Dwight raged at the vanished Beast who, un-
beknownst to him, had retreated to its Lair.
Eventually he left the rainforest, but swore never
again to underestimate his prey. He would seek
vengeance for dos Santos Cruz, despite his never
knowing Dwights feelings.
Toxic Hatred
When Whittaker rediscovered the science
team and explained what hed found in the
rainforest, they wrote him off as dehydrated and
half insane. Even he conceded the possibility.
After recuperating for several weeks, he still
couldnt shake the feelings and memories
from his battle with the Gorgon.
The team confessed their work
in the rainforest was done for
the year but, out of gratitude,
awarded him a Science Without
Borders scholarship. He left
Brazil partway through his stud-
ies, and continued to pursue his learning as he made his way
across Australia and Central Africa, specializing in toxicology
while keeping tabs on all reports of entities such as the one he
met in the rainforest.
Whittaker stopped writing to his parents as his obsession
with Beasts grew. Wherever he traveled, he found himself fanati-
cally stalking those who struck him as potential predators. He
never found one of them to be a creature like the one in the
Amazon. It was during a stay in Cte dIvoire that his dreams
were disturbed by the presence of a nearby Beast. This was a
different creature from the Brazilian: young, apparently weak,
and new to the nightmares it was inflicting. Whittaker awoke
sharply, stalked the whereabouts of the Beast, and was surprised
to find a creature looking entirely human.
Dwight only briefly weighed the possibility of the Beast
being undeserving of punishment before remembering a Beast
could make any loved one disappear. More importantly, he
hated these creatures ability to best him. Stalking the creature
for a month, Whittaker discovered the humans the Beast was
calling family, and decided to see whether the monster was
capable of feeling loss. Dwight kidnapped a child from the
Beasts family home, and stashed him several miles away. He
then began to send cruel, mocking letters to the address from
which he snatched the boy. He described how the child had
been administered a poison that within a week would cause a
painful death. He left clues to the childs location, taunting the
Beast into acting without calm or control. Dwight reveled in his
role as a nightmare, luring the Beast into his web.
The Beast eventually traced the boys assumed location and
arrived at a seafront boathouse. He didnt find the boy, but did
find a cell phone, with Whittaker already speaking on the other
end. Dwight explained how he released the boy earlier that day,
but poisoned every other family member with a neuromuscular-
blocking toxin via their water tank, which would swiftly lead to
respiratory failure and suffocation for everyone the Beast loved.
Expecting a negotiation, the Beast began to respond. His voice
triggered the explosive in the cellphone, messily decapitating
him. Dwight returned to the boathouse, and sprayed a web in
silver paint on the headless body. He left Cte dIvoire without
a second thought to the people he poisoned.
Since returning to the United States, the Web Weaver has
only once joined a band of Heroes. He found sharing informa-
tion with them uncomfortable, and living together repellant.
He suspected such a large group would soon become a target of
the Children. After narrowly avoiding death when an avenging
brood of Beasts discovered the band, Whittaker tired of his
fellows, and utilized the Heroes as bait. He successfully lured a
mighty Ravager to the Heroes communal mansion, and after
it slaughtered the band being sufficiently weakened in the
process Whittaker followed the Beast back to a dilapidated
subway. Somehow, he was able to follow it into its Lair. Despite
the horror he faced and nightmares he endured, Whittaker was
equipped with enough explosive material to make the Ravager
fear the ruin it once idolized. Dwight painted a silver web on
the Ravagers remains, and sprayed another outside its Lair for
other Beasts to see.
STORY HOOKS
A prominent Eshmaki in the region disappears,
leaving her Lair abandoned and decaying. The
only obvious clues to her whereabouts are the
spray-painted silver web of the Web Weaver
marked on the manhole cover beneath which she
made her home, and a handwritten note coaxing
other Beasts to attempt rescuing her. Although its
clearly a trap set by Dwight Whittaker, this par-
ticular Beast has acted as a mentor and friend to
Children all across the city, and the longer he has
her, the less likely her survival becomes.
When six members of the Beasts mortal fami-
lies all come down with wasting illnesses, the
first suspicion is that a nasty flu is going around.
When some of them receive tox screens from their
doctors and the results indicate a lethal dose of
spider venom in their systems, its apparent the
Web Weaver is attempting to weaken the broods
network of loved ones. How Whittaker is adminis-
tering the poison to all of them while avoiding the
notice of the Beasts, and what he intends to gain
from multiple murders is a source of fierce conjec-
ture. If his aim is disharmony, its working, as these
Beasts desperately prioritize their human relatives
over the needs of the brood.
A 60 Minutes special focusing on AWOL soldiers
features a harrowing interview with a pair of
elderly parents who didnt even realize their son
was missing. The old man appeals for anyone
who recognizes his son Leon to get in touch with
his family, the network, or the army. The photo
shown to the viewers is of a much younger Dwight
Whittaker. The Beasts and even some Heroes
who encountered the Web Weaver and survived
recognize the Hero and take advantage of this
insight into his identity and weaknesses by using
his family, or knowledge of his military service,
against him. An investigation into Whittakers past
presents the possibility of exploiting his many con-
cealed weaknesses. It also paints a huge target on
snoopers backs, as Whittaker reacts violently.
Whittaker now moves around the world, hunting the
perfect target. He keeps expenses to a minimum, stealing when
he must, and doing lab work at universities for the materials
needed to make his poisons and bombs. He knows no Beast
exists without a weakness. No monster is without family, foibles,
or vices to exploit and turn into a weapon.
Description
Dwight returned home under his assumed name, and
didnt feel the need to revert to his true identity. He keeps it
in reserve, in case there comes a time when he makes enough
enemies to warrant abandoning the pseudonym earning infamy
across the world, not that his pride would easily allow him to
Dwight Whittaker 31
 escape his reputation as a trapper and Hero, renowned and
feared by Beasts and other Heroes alike. The name of Dwight
Whittaker is synonymous with the silver web mark, and his
epithet of the Web Weaver. Dwight has developed a fixation
with making sure the legend of the Web Weaver outlasts him
no matter what, so stories of his successes persist even after
his retirement. He doesnt consider death a possible outcome,
unless its by his own hand. He has no intention of falling into
the enemys hands, and is rarely without an explosive device
or poison pill.
Dwight has a habit of grading others by their value as bait
or competition, and prefers to do this at a safe distance. Hes
developed a chart based on letters A to E, with A being
prime lure material and E nothing more than collateral and
numbers 1 to 5, with 1 being unapproachably dangerous and
5 being pathetic. When he has to interact with people face to
face, hes awkward, and tends to make the person opposite him
uncomfortable. He fails to blink, licks his lips a lot, and smiles at
inopportune moments. Heroes who meet Dwight classify him as
a cold fish, not realizing much of the ineptness he displays is
affected. His truthful persona is cold, but he deliberately makes
people fear him. It brings him pleasure to know those around
him dont know how to react to his mannerisms.
When the Web Weaver is stalking a Beast, he pushes people
aside, breaks into houses, and cuts throats if he believes it will
bring him closer to his target. He believes such actions are justi-
fied. On the rare occasions when a Beast has approached him
to talk, threaten, or beg, Whittaker cant help but be snide. He
doesnt realize this to be his own weakness. His pride forces
him to exalt in the ingenious nature of his traps and a Beasts
predicament, and could one day lead to prey playing possum
just long enough to turn the tables on the Hero.
Whittaker inwardly justifies everything he does as ven-
geance for Sam dos Santos Cruz, but in truth, he can barely
recall the professor. The Web Weaver stalks and slays because
hes always seen others as superfluous, and has long felt the
compulsion to prove himself smarter and more capable than
those around him. The story of his first encounter with a Beast
in the Amazon has spread far, as at least one Beast hes pursued
has used the name Sam dos Santos Cruz against him, throwing
him off his game. The name pushes Whittakers buttons, and
he grows more trigger happy when it comes up. With bombs
at his disposal, Dwights not a Hero many Beasts want with an
itchy finger.
Regularly dressed in camouflage gear appropriate to his
environment and bearing a backpack containing his hunting
equipment, Whittaker fits in well in warzones, rural areas,
and small, isolated towns. He keeps carefully-wrapped vials of
venom from various spiders, favoring the paralyzing effects of
the Brazilian wandering spider, the spasmodic agony of the
funnel-web, and the hemorrhaging caused by the brown recluse.
If he ever settles for a long period, he introduces these spiders
to an area by stealing them from zoos and universities. In the
rare case that he fights hand to hand, he uses a knife smeared
in venom. Rudimentary traps set up near Beasts Lairs involve
darts, stakes, or wires coated in toxin if he doesnt want the
32 CHAPTER ONE: HEROES
neighborhood alerted to an attack. When Dwight cares less
about collateral, he uses bombs of varying size, depending
on requirement.
The Web Weavers appearance outside his combat gear is
that of a tall, angular man who stalks more comfortably than
strolls. Hes happier running from building to building, and
jumping across roofs or between trees, than hiding in crowds
attempting to resemble an average human being. On the occa-
sions when Beasts get a look at Whittaker before he disappears
out of sight, they describe his gangly limbs, pronounced widows
peak, and sallow skin. He is not traditionally attractive by any
stretch, but his appearance is not a trait over which he gives
much care. Dwight would rather others remember him for the
silver web he sprays whenever he makes a kill, as it feeds the
legend while enhancing his own anonymity.
Rumors
The Web Weaver has dens laden with traps all over the coun-
try. He stalks us and studies us, and sticks juicy bait down in them
designed to lure us in. I heard hes figured out a way to impose his
personality onto his dens, just as we do with our Lairs.
As much as Whittaker despises Beasts, he admires the way
they construct complexes more dangerous than any natural
environment. Through the vivid nightmares he experiences
when in a Beasts proximity, Dwight realizes he possesses his
own limited connection to the Primordial Dream, and wonders
how far this connection could extend.
Whittaker is intent on discovering the method by which
he can build a Lair. A Gift through which Whittaker and other
Heroes could build their own Lairs would rock the existing
methods of Beast hunting. He interrogates captured Beasts
regarding how to construct a Lair, what sacrifices make them
strong, and what makes a Lair a living nightmare for intruders.
Unable or unwilling to explain how they subconsciously apply
their natures to Lairs, he has executed all but one of his prison-
ers to date. His most recent prisoner has escaped and is still
on the run from the Web Weaver, though rumors persist that
he allowed the Beast to break free and act as a stalking horse.
If you make this Hero when hes stalking you, hell disappear
and pursue a different Beast. Weavers a coward; only attacks those
who dont see him coming.
Engaging unprepared foes is the Web Weavers spe-
cialty, which forms his reputation as an outstanding trapper.
Whittaker excels at striking his prey when theyre unaware or
weakened. A rumor doing the rounds among Heroes and Beasts
alike is that Dwight is a coward. Supposedly, if a Beast becomes
aware of the Hero stalking or weaving a trap around her, he
quietly and hurriedly abandons all attempts on that target and
moves on to another one.
The rumor is entirely true, except for instances where
Whittaker finds his pride baited. Shedding light on his activities
just makes him retreat further into the shadows. When called
out as weak or afraid, the Web Weaver takes unpredictable
action. Any references to his life up to his first encounter with
the Amazon Gorgon are liable to flush the Hero out into the
open, where he responds with explosive violence. While the
Web Weaver would love to be the professional who can abandon
all personal connection to his talents, he cannot get over the
need to be an anonymous source of fear.
Real handsome fella called round the other day looking for a
man named Dwight Whittaker. When he described him, I said it
sounded like my son, Leon. Course, we aint seen Leon since he went
off on special ops. He left a card with a number of it. Hes got one
of those Hispanic names, Samuel dos Santa Maria, or somethin.
Dwight may have forgotten what Sam dos Santos Cruz
looks like, but Sams not forgotten him, not after he nearly
burned to death in the rainforest. Sam was the Namtaru in the
Amazon, preying on the research team with which he worked.
They were perfectly primed to satiate his cravings, when that
freakish security guard Dwight Whittaker failed to react to his
Horrors, and sabotaged the feeding. Sam follows Whittakers
activities, and is now hunting him down. His intention is to
either join a brood or trade information relating to the Web
Weaver, though he risks danger if forced to pursue him alone
.
Legend: Trapper
Life: Outsider
Mental Attributes: Intelligence 3, Wits 4, Resolve 4
Physical Attributes: Strength 2, Dexterity 3, Stamina 3
Social Attributes: Presence 2, Manipulation 2,
Composure 3
EMILY ESSER
SOUL-EATER
You think They are your friends, but I promise you it is a lie. They are only using you,
and sooner or later they will expect you to turn against your own kind to further
Their goals. You must renounce your allegiance to Them before it is too late.
Background
Born to a family that served sorcerers for hundreds of years,
Emily didnt exactly have a normal childhood. Her world was
filled with magic and creatures with occult powers who clothed
themselves in human flesh. However dangerous she knew these
creatures could be, they never really frightened Emily. The
wizard-scholars she looked up to often met with these magical
beings, and even regarded some of them as friends. How could
anyone think of them as monsters?
At the age of 10, Emily manifested her familys talent for
seeing souls. The mages bestowed on her the title of Proximus
and furthered her education. Over the next four years, Emily
Mental Skills: Academics 2, Crafts (Explosives)
5, Investigation 3, Medicine 2, Occult 2, Science
(Toxicology) 4
Physical Skills: Athletics 3, Drive 1, Firearms 1,
Stealth 4, Survival (Tracking) 4, Weaponry 2
Social Skills: Animal Ken 3, Intimidation 2, Subterfuge 2
Merits: Alternate Identity 3, Contacts (University),
Contacts (Zoologists), Danger Sense, Fast Reflexes 2,
Multilingual (French, Portuguese), Killer Instinct 2, Patient,
Professional Training (Scientist) 2, Safe Place 2,
Status (Heroes) 2
Gifts: Champions Endurance, Legendary Hunter,
Open Gate
Health: 8
Willpower: 7
Integrity: 2
Size: 5
Speed: 10
Initiative: 8
Defense: 6
Armor: 1/3 (3/3 when fighting a Beast)
Notes: Dwight is rarely without a Kevlar vest, camou-
flage clothing appropriate to his environment, a hand-
gun for which he owns a license, an army knife, several
vials of varied poisons, and a small array of bombs
concealed about his person.
The Professional Training Merit is found on p. 48 of the
Chronicles of Darkness Rulebook.
learned how to swallow the souls of the recently deceased in
order to keep them from passing on to the next world, as well
as how to regurgitate the soul and bind it to someone whose
soul had been lost. The sorcerers promoted her to the rank of
Soul-Tender and placed her in the service of Anomandus a
mage with a reputation as a healer of afflictions of the soul.
He arranged for Emily to operate as a nurse in the ICU of a
local hospital, where she would collect the souls of the recently
deceased and bring them to him. Anomandus would implant
these into the victims of soul theft.
Every day Emily saw cringing wretches transformed into
people capable of normal lives. The people whose souls she swal-
lowed had no further need of them no more than the dead
Emily Esser 33
 needed their healthy organs. Like donated organs, these trans-
planted souls saved lives. Emily never questioned the importance
of her work for Anomandus. How could she possibly know that
she was collecting far more souls than he needed for his patients?
After all, she spent much of her time at the hospital.
It wasnt until she met Phillip Strange that Emily
first began to worry. At first, she mistook him for
a new patient one taken in after a desperate
altercation that left his face scarred and bruised.
She could see his soul, though, even if it was a
hideous thing that resembled a sandy pit filled with
scorpions. Phillip told her he was Anomandus
distant cousin, although her master described
the man as a friend. To Emily, though, he
was always the Stranger, and his gaze made
her uncomfortable.
Soon after that initial encounter with
the Stranger, Anomandus demand for
souls increased, forcing Emily to spend
longer hours at the hospital. She still
could not satisfy her masters demand.
He insisted that too many souls were
escaping her. She couldnt be in two
parts of the hospital at once, nor
could she spend every minute of the
day working. Anomandus demanded
that she start swallowing the souls of
the dying instead of waiting until their
souls came free on their own. Emily tried
to tell him that the souls of the living
burned her throat, and she expressed her
discomfort with the act on moral grounds,
but her arguments did not move Anomandus.
All the while, the Stranger stood in the room
and watched Emily plead, a smile on his lips.
At first, Emily did as she was told in spite
of her misgivings and even though the souls
of the living tasted like blood and burned
her chest and throat like unquenchable fire.
A week passed and then two. After a month
of coughing up blood, Emily finally de-
cided she had had enough. She confronted
Anomandus with an unwelcome truth she
wasnt harvesting more souls than she had
been before. The souls of the living had
torn her up inside, and she was spending
hours in the bathroom every day either
squatting on a toilet in gut-wrenching agony
or bent over it as she retched up bloody bile.
The loss of blood had left her too weak to
do the job that served as her cover story in
the ICU, and very soon she would likely be
a patient at the hospital instead of a nurse.
To her shock, Anomandus seemed uncon-
cerned. That was when she finally understood.
The Stranger had corrupted her master. It was a
34 CHAPTER ONE: HEROES
monster that had turned him into a monster, and the only way
he could regain his humanity was to kill the Stranger. Emily
started to babble, then, warning Anomandus that if he did
not destroy the Beast that had enslaved him, she would have
to tell the other mages about his crimes, and they would
surely destroy him.
The wizard only laughed at her threat. He and
the Stranger had forged a partnership that made
her services irrelevant. The Beast would spill blood
freely, and Anomandus would collect the souls
its hunger released and dispose of the evidence.
Considering the Strangers insatiable hunger,
the mage would never want for a supply of
souls again.
With that, the Stranger stepped into the
room. As the scorpion pit of his soul swarmed
toward her, Emily knew he would kill her and
that there was nothing she could do to stop him.
But she also saw his souls hunger for hers as he
grabbed her by the wrist and slid the knife across
her cheek. In a moment of desperation verging
on panic, Emily vomited up her own soul to keep
the Stranger from feeding on it. The Strangers
knife wavered, and his eyes went wide.
Before he could react further, however,
the Sentinel and her deputies arrived to arrest
Anomandus as a possible Reaper a thief of
souls. The Stranger stood and fought when
he should have fled, and the cabal of pow-
erful mages killed him. They hauled away
Anomandus, leaving Emily wandering her
masters sanctum in search of her lost soul.
It had already fled, but the Strangers soul still
lingered. Not without some trepidation, Emily
swallowed it.
The Strangers soul was unlike any she had
eaten. It filled her with warmth and made her skin
tingle, but it also opened up her eyes to another
truth: Her master was not the only mage creatures
like the Stranger had coaxed into acts of terrible
hubris. At Anomandus trial, Emily saw another
mage who she could sense had befriended a monster.
She warned him quietly but sincerely, and unlike her
master, he and his cabal took Emilys warning seriously.
They lured the Beast into a trap, and Emily stood
witness as the wizards killed it. She consumed its soul
and felt it join with that of the Stranger.
Several months passed during which Emily met
no more Beasts. The glow of the souls she had eaten
started to fade as though they were not attached to
her but were, rather, like slowly digesting meals that
could not sustain her forever. Thinking the problem
was with the monsters souls, Emily returned to
the hospital and bound the soul of a recently-
deceased patient to herself, but she found that it
melted away after a single week. Her confrontation
with the Stranger had somehow made her a soul-eater in truth,
and only the souls of Beasts could keep her from becoming a
Reaper like Anomandus had been.
Emily scoured the city for more signs of the Children. Her
path led her to a shapechanger who had allied herself with a Beast.
Emily convinced her to turn against the monster, and then she fed
on the shadowy soul. Thus began the Heros unending journey.
After five years of hunting for Beasts among the supernatural crea-
tures that people the world, Emily has become convinced that the
Children are the ones who tempt them to use their occult powers
to engage in selfish depravity. They are the voice of hubris, the
unchecked rage, and the callous disregard for human suffering that
turns otherwise sensible supernatural creatures into monsters like
the Beasts. The prevalence of horrors in the world only proves how
insidious and widespread the Childrens influence has become.
Description
Emily Esser is a mousy woman in her early 20s the kind of
person one might expect to find spending every Saturday night
alone in an apartment full of cats. Her eyes and shoulder-length
hair are brown, and she wears thick-framed glasses and baggy
clothes. All of it is calculated to avoid attracting attention. She
still takes work as a nurse at local hospitals, so she is sometimes
dressed in scrubs.
Emily is softspoken even among ordinary humans, but she
becomes positively deferential when interacting with supernatu-
ral creatures. Although she realizes they arent to blame for the
evil acts the Children drive them to, she knows that they can
be dangerous if they feel threatened. Once she has identified
someone who has formed a bond with a Beast, Emily approaches
her and offers a gentle warning about what this friend really is.
She never presses the issue, nor does she offer any hard evidence
of evildoing. She merely slinks off as quietly as she appeared.
If she was unable to use Family Rivalry (see below) during this
initial encounter, she seeks out her target again a few days or
weeks later to issue her warning again. Once she is able to place
her Anathema on the targets Beast ally, Emily usually avoids
contact with the target until his final confrontation whether
it is with his peers or the Beast. In the first case, she looks for
someone else who the Children have touched and begins the
process again. In the second case, she stays at the edges of the
conflict until the Beast is defeated, at which point she arrives
to claim its soul. If her proxy fails, Emily keeps her distance and
attempts to slip away before her quarry notices her.
Rumors
I had him right there in my Lair fleeing from me through
waist-high water infested with leeches. He kept muttering to himself
about how this must be a nightmare, but both of us knew he wasnt
going to wake up until my jaws clamped down on his leg and
dragged him down. I dont know what happened. One minute he
was scrambling to escape, and the next he was just gone, leaving me
alone with my Hunger. How is that even possible?
Emily recently discovered that if she consumes the soul of
a living victim, it renders him immune to the dream powers of
STORY HOOKS
He was a useful friend to have not too great in
a toe-to-toe fight, but always able to figure out
what was really going on and tied in tight enough
with the local sorcerers that they never got in the
players characters way. Now he has come to
the brood begging them to hide him from every
Mystagogue in the metro area. He wants to clear
his name, but no matter what anyone says or does
the Mysterium remains convinced that hes a Sce-
lesti spy. It all started when that young Esser told
him that his association with the Children would
lead him to a precipitous fall into hubris as if a
mere Proximus could educate one of the Awak-
ened on the subject of Wisdom! Yet it seems she
has somehow turned all his peers against him.
The Beast that Anomandus befriended was an old
friend or mentor of one of the players characters.
The Reaper recently finished serving his sentence
(or so he claims), and he wants help getting his re-
venge on the Proximus who murdered their mutual
friend. Normally this would be an easy task for a
mage, but Emily has some powerful friends who
have been hiding her location from Anomandus.
Since his fellow mages wont help, he has come
to the brood for assistance. What he isnt telling
the players characters is that he has spent the last
several years studying Emilys Gift, and he now
understands that he can draw her out of hiding by
convincing a Beast to place the Family Ties Condi-
tion on him. This plan will work eventually, but in
the meantime, the brood has formed a bond with
a Reaper who is not even remotely interested in
overcoming his soul-stealing habits, which attracts
enemies to their door that are even more danger-
ous than a lone Hero.
The players characters find themselves opposing
an especially-depraved Beast who has thus far
defied all attempts to topple him because of his
friendship with a very powerful community of kin.
They hear rumors of another Beast who was once
connected to the same community before a soft-
spoken Hero mounted a whisper campaign that
so poisoned them against him that he had to flee
for his life. The characters enemy is engaged in all
kinds of behavior that Emily would find particu-
larly abhorrent, so perhaps they can find a way to
unleash her against their enemy.
the Children. Doing so takes a heavy toll on her body, and she
knows all too well what the wretched slide of the soulless looks
like, so she does not do so lightly. However, she has used it to
prevent a Beast from eating its fill of a humans nightmares on
at least two occasions. Emily needs to touch her target to use this
power, which could provide the Children with her whereabouts.
We were damned near inseparable for 20 years! I cant even tell you
how many secrets we learned, how many opportunities we had to betray
Emily Esser 35
 one another, or how many times we saved each others lives, but it was
probably north of a thousand. Then one day she comes to me with tears in
her eyes and demands to know the truth about me. What truth? That the
Children are in league with the Gentry, keeping her kind divided so that
they are easy to recapture. The accusation wounded me. I thought she had
learned to trust me, right? A month later, she shows up with some Summer
Court heavies to put me down. What the fuck? I barely escaped with my
life. I hear shes still hunting me, and maybe I should do something about
that, but dammit, I still consider her my friend.
Emilys peculiar Gift is often cruel. Facing down a Hero armed
with a sword that the Beast knows will kill him is bad enough, but
being forced to fight or even kill his own kin can be too painful to
endure. Either the Begottens friend becomes an enemy, or her friend
becomes the sworn enemy of everyone else like him. Emily rarely
shows herself to her quarry until she is certain the Beast has been
defeated, but she is always present during that final confrontation
usually posing as a frightened bystander or one more face in the
angry mob. If they interview enough survivors, the Children might
eventually cobble together a description of the Hero who is hunting
them. Emily takes pains to avoid standing out, but shes not invisible.
My aunt says that when she was in the hospital after her heart
attack, she had to share a room with a homeless woman who obvi-
ously had a long history of being abused. If my aunt so much as closed
her book too loudly, her roommate would break down in tears as often
as not. Then this new nurse comes in Emily. Shes nice enough to Willpower: 8
my aunt, but she seems real interested in the woman on the other side
of the curtain, says she can help. That night, my aunt had a vivid
dream about Emily pulling a demon out of the homeless woman
and wrestling it into submission as it bit and scratched her. The next
day, Emily looks like she fell down a flight of stairs, which my aunt
thought was really weird. Even weirder, a week later, this homeless
woman who couldnt go three hours without sobbing uncontrollably
walks out of the hospital a new person. Gives Emily a hug. Gives my
aunt a hug. Talks about how shes going to go back to college and fin-
ish her degree. My aunt says it had to be some kind of miracle.
Emily works part-time as a nurse to pay her bills, to avoid
attracting unwanted attention, and to supplement her hunger
for souls between Beast kills. She keeps a lookout for victims of
soul theft, too, whom she restores when she can using the souls
she harvests from the dead. This only happens a few times in a
year, but the effect a new soul can have on someone who hasnt
had one in a while tends to raise eyebrows. On those occasions
that it attracts the attention of supernatural creatures, it also
offers Emily a way to find new prey.
Legend: Agitator
Life: Healer
Mental Attributes: Intelligence 3, Wits 2, Resolve 4
Physical Attributes: Strength 2, Dexterity 2, Stamina 2
Social Attributes: Presence 2, Manipulation 3,
Composure 4
Mental Skills: Academics 2, Investigation 2, Medicine
3, Occult (Souls) 3, Science (Biology) 1
Physical Skills: Brawl 1, Larceny 1, Stealth (Lurking) 3,
Weaponry 1
Social Skills: Empathy 3, Expression 1, Persuasion 2,
Socialize (Outsider) 3
Merits: Barfly, Contacts (Mages), Contacts (Nurses),
Indomitable, Resources 1, Sympathetic
Gifts: Family Rivalry (below), Kinslayer, Soul-Eater
(below)
Health: 7
Integrity: 4
Size: 5
Speed: 9
Initiative: 6
Defense: 2
Armor:
New Anathema: Chosen One
The Hero designates another character as the one destined
to kill the Beast. This Anathema is identical to Weaponbound
(Beast: The Primordial p. 211), but it instead affects all attacks
made by this chosen one.

SOUL-EATERS AND PROXIMI

This Gift is meant to emulate the Blessings and curse of a Proximus a type of supporting character in Mage:
The Awakening. For groups that have access to those rules, Emily belongs to a Thyrsus Dynasty called the Essers
(Eaters). She has the following Blessings: Death Soul Marks (), Soul Jar (), and Sever Soul (). Other
common Blessings among these Proximi (Death, Life, Spirit) include: Death Speak with Dead (), Ectoplasm
(), Damage Ghost (); Life Analyze Life (), Cleanse the Body (), Body Control (), Purge Illness (),
Knit (); Spirit Exorcists Eye (), Know Spirit (), Cap the Well (), Channel Essence (), Erode Resonance
().
First emerging among the Germanic tribes during the reign of Constantine, most Essers currently serve the Silver
Ladder, although some have chosen to operate as independent healers and exorcists. They invoke most of their
Blessings by eating, drinking, or pantomiming the act of eating or drinking. Those Essers who specialize in Death
Blessings are commonly called Soul-Eaters or Ghost-Eaters even if they later master other Blessings. Plague-
Eaters and Pain-Eaters focus on Life Blessings. Demon-Eaters and Essence-Eaters focus on Spirit Blessings.

36 CHAPTER ONE: HEROES

New Gifts
Family Rivalry
Although Beasts are kin with other supernatural creatures,
many regard the Children as the black sheep and troublemakers
of the family the kind your grandmother warned you about
and the ones you tell your baby brother to stay away from. By
speaking warnings against his continued association with the
Children, the Hero can force the listener to choose between
his friendship with the Beast and his respect among his peers.
This Gift allows the Hero to recognize when a non-Beast has the
Family Ties Condition and only works on supernatural creatures
with this Condition.
The Hero initiates the effects of this Gift by using social
maneuvering in an effort to convince the target to shun or
steer clear of the Beast who bestowed the Condition. Once
the Hero successfully opens the final Door, the target gains the
Peer Pressure Condition, which has the potential to worsen
first into the Black Sheep Condition and finally into the Pariah
Condition. If the target is connected to a Beast with the Sated
Condition, the Hero may make the target the Anathema of the
Beast by engaging him socially for a few minutes and spending
a point of Willpower.
Soul-Eater
Some Heroes have contact with the occult world even before
their first encounter with the Children. A Hero with this Gift is
a descendent of the Esser Family. This ancient bloodline grants
some of its scions powers of healing and exorcism, of which Soul-
Eating is but one manifestation. The Gift has several facets that
the Hero can call upon but also carries a curse:
Soul Sight: The Hero can see souls, including the free-float-
ing souls of the recently deceased, those bound by supernatural
powers, and those within most living people. On a successful
Wits + Occult (Souls) roll, she can also discern whether the
subject is a supernatural being, whether she has had her soul
tampered with, whether she is Possessed, or whether she has
eaten or otherwise consumed anothers soul.
Soul Eating: Ordinarily, the soul of the recently deceased
does not linger before passing on, but the Hero can delay its
passage by catching the soul in her hands as the person dies
and eating it by spending a point of Willpower. The consumed
soul does not pass out of the world until she later regurgitates it
or until she digests it (see the drawback below). The Hero can-
not store more than five souls at a time in this way. Although
Children dont have souls, the hero can consume the Horror
within a Beast in the same way as long as another Hero did
not slay the Begotten.
The Hero may attempt to eat the soul of a living victim
that he can touch. This requires the expenditure of a point of
Willpower and a successful Resolve + Composure roll resisted
by the victims Resolve. If successful, the Hero suffers a point
of lethal damage that cannot be healed by supernatural means.
The victim is immune to supernatural powers that influence
or attack his dreams for as long as the Hero contains his soul,
although he gains the Soulless Condition. The Hero cannot
devour the soul of a living supernatural creature, including the
Horror of a Beast.
Soul Regurgitation: The hero can spend a point of
Willpower to regurgitate one of the souls she has consumed
as an instant action. The soul becomes free-floating and will
depart the world within minutes unless supernatural powers
prevent it from doing so.
The Hero may instead spend two Willpower to bind a
regurgitated soul to a target who has the Soulless, Enervated,
or Thrall Condition. If the target is unwilling, the Hero must
succeed on a Resolve + Composure roll resisted by Resolve. If
successful, the Hero suffers a point of lethal damage that cannot
be healed by supernatural means, but the target immediately
resolves all Conditions related to soul loss. The Hero cannot
transplant Horrors into new targets.
Drawback Dynasty Curse: If the Hero becomes detached
from the soul she had when she acquired this Gift, she cannot
accept a permanent soul and becomes dependent on a steady
supply of souls to sustain her. Any replacement soul counts as
a soul she has eaten, even if it is bound to the Hero using other
supernatural powers. The Hero may choose to digest one of the
souls she has eaten. This removes it from her reserves, but for
the next week she is considered to have a soul unless it is a
Beasts Horror, in which case it instead lasts three months. If the
Hero runs out of souls or chooses not to digest a soul she has
eaten, she gains the Soulless Condition until she digests a new
soul. This Condition worsens to Enervated and Thrall normally.
New Conditions
PEER PRESSURE
(PERSISTENT)
The characters peers suspect he has been compromised and
actively watch him for signs of disloyalty. His first impression level
among his own kind drops by one (minimum of poor unless already
hostile), and he suffers a -2 penalty to Social Maneuvers against them.
Resolution: The character resolves the Family Ties
Condition or gains the Black Sheep Condition.
Beat: The character aids or accepts the aid of a Beast, which
causes him to gain the Black Sheep Condition.
BLACK SHEEP
(PERSISTENT)
The characters peers openly distrust her and oppose her at
every turn, although they usually do not resort to open violence.
She suffers all the effects of the Peer Pressure Condition. In ad-
dition, any of her Social Merits related to her connection with
her peers are treated as two dots lower (to a minimum of 0).
Resolution: Unlike Peer Pressure, merely breaking off
contact with the Children is not enough to clear the characters
name. The Beast must die or flee beyond the reach of the charac-
ters reasonable pursuit to resolve this Condition. This Condition
is also resolved if the character gains the Pariah Condition.
Emily Esser 37
 Beat: The character goes more than a month without taking
action to destroy the Beast, or she aids or accepts aid from the
Beast. This causes the character to gain the Pariah Condition.
PARIAH
(PERSISTENT)
The characters peers regard him as an enemy (a hostile
impression level) and will likely imprison, banish, or execute him
GRACE TELLER
REALITY TV STAR
Next up on Grace Hunts in Hollywood: the season concludes as our heroine
invades the monsters lair and puts an end to it!
Background
Fame, renown, and the eternal love of the masses have been
Graces dreams ever since childhood. Growing up in a small,
Midwestern town, Grace (born Renata Powolski) yearned her
whole life to be an actor.
Theater and performance was her only refuge in an
otherwise-chaotic life. When Grace was four years old, her
mother gave birth to a severely disabled baby boy. Young Grace
couldnt understand why shed suddenly lost the attention (and,
seemingly, the love) of her parents, who were now wrapped up
in a neverending struggle with doctors, hospitals, and insur-
ance companies. To cover the medical bills, which insurance
wouldnt, Graces mother had to get a job, and then another
one. Her family rapidly descended from a comfortable middle-
class lifestyle to struggling paycheck to paycheck.
Grace didnt handle the transition well what four year
old would? Though she eventually grew wise enough to under-
stand the choices her parents made, some part of her has never
forgotten how abandoned young Grace felt.
As Grace grew up, her mother, Marta, struggled to find a
place for her daughter. Graces brother still needed constant care,
and Marta struggled with dividing her attention between her son,
her daughter, and her work obligations. Luckily, their community
had a strong theater program for adolescents, and Marta wasted
no time in enrolling Grace when her daughter turned old enough.
Grace found the camaraderie of her fellow actors filled
the social void shed felt ever since childhood. After her first
performance, Grace experienced the profound thrill of hearing
applause. From that moment on, Graces path was clear: She
was going to be an actor.
The day after she graduated high school, Grace packed
everything she owned into a secondhand Honda and set out
38 CHAPTER ONE: HEROES
unless he successfully avoids contact with them. He loses access
to all Social Merits related to his connection with them, although
the Sanctity of Merits applies.
Resolution: The character participates in the act of killing
the Beast.
Beat: The character suffers a plot complication due to being
a fugitive from his own kind.
west, following her dreams of fame to Hollywood. Her first years
were very lean, as Grace had to learn how to live on her own
while also working hard to launch her acting career. She spent
more than a few months eating ramen noodles so she could
afford acting classes and head shots, while living in a sparsely-
furnished studio apartment and taking odd jobs to make rent.
Grace didnt give up. Every night, she would dream of fame
of walking down red carpets, waving at photographers, signing
autographs, seeing her face on magazine covers. Whenever she
got discouraged, these dreams would sustain her, and Grace
would promise to give herself another month before throwing
in the towel and going back home.
The young actor found a few small successes early on a
commercial here, a kids show there. She made connections
with other struggling actors, those as hungry for fame as she.
Banding together, they formed a creative collective and began
making and publishing short films to the web. The collective
managed to gather a small group of fans, but nothing they
made got noticed by the networks. Grace knew theyd have
to make something truly fantastic to earn network attention,
and she and her friends spent many late nights brainstorming
what that might be.
While the group worked on a concept for a comedy series,
a young Ugallu in Graces neighborhood began to spiral out
of control. Danny had gone through his Devouring alone and
hadnt been lucky enough to come across any other Beasts who
could teach him how to survive. As a result, Danny would starve
his Horror until he lost control then inevitably lash out against
an innocent victim. The destruction he wrought during these
episodes only reaffirmed Dannys commitment to not giving
into his Horror, which started the whole vicious cycle over again.
As Danny struggled with controlling his Horror, his mis-
takes attracted the attention of Grace. As ignorant of occult
matters as Danny, Grace also couldnt explain what was hap-
pening. On some level, though, she understood that she and
Danny shared a deep connection via the Primordial Dream.
Grace interpreted this intuitive feeling as being her key to earn-
ing the fame and glory shed always yearned for.
Grace began stalking Danny, covertly watching him
and trying to figure what he was. While surveilling him,
an idea came to her. Grace understood, on some level,
that she and Danny were engaged in a mythic struggle
of good against evil, and she wanted the world to know
this story.
Grace put on a black sweater and some dark lip-
stick, turned on her web cam, and told a story about
a monster she dubbed Black Feathers. Black
Feathers wasnt a scared and struggling 17 year
old; he was a vicious predator who stalked his
prey through their dreams, slowly sapping their
will to live. Grace assumed the persona of a
monster hunter, determined to discover Black
Feathers weaknesses and put an end to him.
She turned her real world experiences into
fodder for an engaging New Media experi-
ence: Episode two consisted of Grace, with
a GoPro strapped to her chest, narrating
her experience of stalking Black Feathers.
No one assumed Danny was a real
person. Everyone who watched Grace
Hunts in Hollywood assumed she and
Danny were both actors. Something
about her video her delivery, her
passion, and her determination at-
tracted even more followers. Graces
crew collected around her, a support
network of camera operators and
producers who helped build up the
story. Grace had never felt so energized
or passionate about her work.
Realization slowly dawned on Grace
that the only way for the story to end was
with Dannys death. She and Danny were
connected in some profound way Grace
didnt fully understand, but which drove
her on regardless. Grace wasnt even sure
why Danny had to die, only that he did.
On the other hand, Grace was wary of
killing on camera. Wouldnt that be
tantamount to filming a murder? Danny
was, despite everything else, a person.
He had a birth certificate, a drivers
license, and a job delivering flowers on
the weekends. No judge would accept, I
really, really wanted to, as an excuse for
killing him.
Grace wondered if she was go-
ing crazy. Her doubts were quickly
assuaged, however, as the passion
with which she had infected her crew now came back to her.
Her producer, still believing Grace Hunts in Hollywood was a
fictional story, persuaded Grace to take the story to its logical,
dramatic conclusion. Under his advice, Grace began mentally
and physically preparing herself for their confrontation. She
began self-defense classes and bought mace and combat
knives, which she started carrying everywhere.
Danny eventually realized something was
after him, but didnt know enough to protect
himself, and matters came to a head one night
while Grace stalked Danny. Danny was Starving,
a Condition Grace somehow subconsciously
understood. Now was her chance, and she
took it, her GoPro recording the entire
desperate fight.
Young Danny didnt know ex-
actly what a Hero was, but his Horror
understood the danger Grace posed.
Instinctively, Danny attacked and, just
as instinctively, Grace fought back.
Neither of them had any real combat
training, but they each knew this was
a lethal struggle. The fight ended with
Grace alive and Black Feathers dead.
Covered in the dragons blood, Grace
reeled between horror at what she
had done and an exhilaration that
put her earlier experiences on stage to
utter shame.
Grace took the footage to her pro-
ducer, and together they cut and recut it
into the dramatic conclusion of Grace
Hunts in Hollywood. Danny became a
CGId shadow, his identity obscured
by special effects which made him out to
be the monster Grace felt sure he was.
The final episode was a hit, and went
viral on social media. Grace made such a big
splash that she attracted the attention of a
new streaming service, one that signed not
only an exclusive distribution contract for
Grace Hunts in Hollywood, but also ordered
13 new episodes.
Grace was over the moon. Not only
had she just come into her own as a Hero,
she was winning all the fame and atten-
tion she had longed for since childhood.
The order for 13 new episodes eventually
included 13 more, and then 13 more, as
Grace continued to hunt and put an end
to Beasts unlucky enough to cross her
path. The network markets the show
as a fake reality show, an urban
fantasy take on The Office and
similar mockumentaries. So far,
Grace has put out five seasons of
Grace Teller 39

STORY HOOKS
The characters have realized Graces true nature
as a Hero and what shes up to. Grace has found
a new target, and decided to try something a little
different for her new season. Instead of just telling a
story, shes going to gamify her show. Grace hired
a new transmedia consultant, so now her followers
can receive text messages, emails, and otherwise
interact with her story. Only the characters know
that Grace is actively planning to murder a Beast
as part of the thrilling climax. The problem is, they
dont know precisely whom. They need to play her
game in order to uncover the identity of her target,
then get to the person and save them from Grace.
The vampire Prince of Los Angeles approaches the
characters, needing their help to solve the problem
of Grace Teller. Her show, explains the Prince, is
a grave breach of the Masquerade. Even though
she doesnt hunt vampires, any indication that the
supernatural is real is a threat to the Masquerade.
Normally, the Prince would be content to order
Graces death and be done with it. However,
Graces fame also protects her from mysterious
accidents or unexplained disappearances. The
Prince doesnt really care how the characters take
care of the problem, as long as they permanently
silence her without putting any more stress on the
Masquerade.
The hunter has become the hunted, and Grace
needs the help of the characters to stay out of
jail. With half a dozen kills under her belt, it was
bound to happen a homicide detective with the
Los Angeles Police Department has picked up that
theres something not right going on in the city. The
detective, Deirdre Long, isnt aware of what Grace
is doing, or why. She doesnt even know its Grace
yet. Grace needs a team of discreet, effective
people to distract Detective Long, claiming shes
being stalked and framed by an overly dedicated
fan. Of course, the characters may eventually real-
ize that Grace is lying and turn on her themselves.
Grace Hunts in Hollywood. Which means shes killed five Beasts
and pretended their deaths were fake to millions of viewers.
Without a doubt, Grace is convinced that those shes
hunted and killed are little more than monsters. The super-
natural powers shes experienced, the Lairs shes crashed, and
the utterly surreal experiences shes had as a Hero all prove
that. On the other hand she hasnt just broken into Lairs,
shes also broken into peoples homes and seen the 1,001 small
reminders that a Beast is also a person.
Grace can justify her actions as being part of the greater
good, though the police and district attorney would feel
differently about what shes been doing. For better or
worse, the Beasts she killed have legal identities and are
entitled to the protections of citizenship. In the eyes of
40 CHAPTER ONE: HEROES
the law, Grace is a cold-blooded serial killer, murdering
for fame and money.
Grace understands this, at least on a certain level. She
doesnt want to go to jail for murder, but the rush she gets from
the hunt, and the adulation from her fans that comes after, is
too satisfying for her to stop. Itll only take one mistake, one
savvy investigator, and Graces life will fall apart.
Description
More than most Heroes, Grace is obsessed with maintain-
ing her fame. She relies on her followers most of whom are on
her production crew more than most Heroes do. Her fans are
also critical in supporting Grace as both an actor and a Hero.
Grace has begun to expand her franchise, turning new seasons
of Grace Hunts in Hollywood into an alternate reality game as
she invites her fans to get involved. Though her fans believe
they are participating in media tie-ins, they are in fact helping
Grace with her research and tracking.
When Grace first came to Los Angeles, she was a perky
blonde woman who took care to stay trendy. However, as her
TV persona as a monster hunter developed, so too has her
wardrobe. Instead of going for a valley girl style, Grace has gone
a bit darker, adopting a mall goth look - wearing heavy silver
jewelry, black eyeliner, and blood red clothes, which flatter her
athletic figure. She even recently dyed her hair a deep black
with red and purple streaks.
Grace moves through the world with a sense of purpose
and self-assuredness; her confidence usually increases after a
successful hunt. Like any other actor, Grace works out regularly
and has the body to prove it. While most actors focus on cardio
and yoga, however, Grace has taken up the study of martial
arts to prepare her for fighting the Begotten. Shes also going
to the gun range and is in the process of getting a concealed
carry permit.
Due to her natural inclination as an actor, bolstered by
years of theatrical training, Grace cant help but soak up all the
attention in any room she walks into. Her inner Hero craves
this attention and shell do whatever she can to make sure all
eyes are on her. Shes not vulgar about it, though. Grace knows
how to work a room, and how to make people feel good about
being in her presence.
Grace never speaks of her family. If asked, she brushes
the question off with a few platitudes and quickly changes the
subject. She certainly loves her parents and brother, but she
cant help feeling just a little guilty for leaving. She knows her
parents still struggle with money and that they miss her. The
situation is emotionally fraught, and Grace has opted out of
dealing with it, which feeds into her guilt, especially around the
holidays. Grace wants to see her family, but is secretly relieved
when a convenient excuse presents itself to justify her staying
in Los Angeles.
Grace understands that, in the digital age, shes always
performing. A fan might come up to her in a coffee shop and
ask to take a selfie with her, and she has to be on point or risk
being criticized and derided online as just another stuck-up
celebrity. As a result, even when Grace is upset or angry, she
never lets her mask slip. She forces herself to be happy, upbeat,
and positive, no matter what.
At the end of the day, Grace has too many secrets and alter
egos. She tells stories about things that really happened to her,
but has to pretend theyre only stories. As a result, Grace has
a difficult time being authentic with anyone. She can relate to
others primarily on the level of a celebrity to a fan, or a similar
superficial relationship. This has begun to wear on her, and
Grace yearns for just one other person with whom she can open
up and be honest around.
Grace also struggles with her Integrity. Her multiple kills
have left her feeling spiritually numb, but she still strives to
think of herself as a good person. She reacts poorly to any
suggestion that shes not working for the greater good such
an insinuation is possibly one of the few things which could
provoke a strong emotional reaction from Grace and force her
to reveal her true self.
Rumors
Now, listen, son. If you want to succeed as a Hero, you gotta
get yourself some followers. Look at the lady out in Hollywood, the
one with the fake reality show no one but us knows aint fake. See
the questions she asks her fans to answer for her? They think its
part of the show, audience participation and all that. She asks them
to find some piece of information, some random bit of data, and
now shes got a couple hundred folks doing her research.
When Grace is tracking down a Beast, she often crowd-
sources parts of the research to her fans. She frames these que-
ries and requests as part of the ongoing story, and asks viewers
to send her whatever pieces of supernatural trivia they come
across. Most of what she receives is distorted, inaccurate, or
just plain made up by a creative fan, but Grace has been doing
this long enough that she knows how to tell good information
from bad. Grace has never brought an actual mob with her on
a hunt, she always hunts solo when the time comes.
Yeah, we get that question a lot. The answer is, no, Grace Teller
doesnt work with Network Zero. She never has. I dont think she even
knows we exist. She shouldnt, not if were doing our job right.
This rumor is merely the paranoid mutterings of a few
Beasts who have figured out who Grace is and what shes up to.
While the members of Network Zero in Los Angeles are vaguely
aware of Grace and her channel (and have been monitoring
her as a result), Grace herself is unaware of the existence of the
hunter compact. For its part, Network Zero is trying to figure
out if Grace is better or worse than the monsters she hunts
and it has yet to make up its mind. The actor is generally
unaware of any of the larger supernatural communities in Los
Angeles though its likely only a matter of time before they
find each other.
Casting call! Want to be part of the hottest new unreality shows
upcoming season? Dreaming of fame and fortune as L.A.s new monster
hunter extraordinaire? Grace Hunts in Hollywood is ready for some fresh
faces! Were looking for potential new talent to work with Grace as her
new apprentice. Age: 20s-30s. Gender: Any. Ethnicity: Any. Must be
athletic; martial arts or surveillance training a plus. Send acting resume
and recent headshots to the casting office. Per the request of Grace, you
must also send in a thousand-word description of your most vivid dream
and the impact its had on your life. Union only.
Grace has gained enough experience that shes begun to
realize the benefit of sharing the burden even though some
part of her is loath to share any of the limelight. She needs to
be careful in choosing an apprentice, however, for the revelation
that she stalks and kills monsters will not go over well with most
people living in Los Angeles. Grace isnt the only incipient Hero
in Southern California, nor even the only one who came here
dreaming of a different kind of fame. Finding someone with
the same drive for recognition wont be exceptionally difficult.
That chick with the show? Its not pretend; its real. Believe
me, she killed my sister in her last season. You couldnt tell it
wasnt fake, though, not with all the special effects work they did.
If you knew what you were looking at, thoughdamn, I watched
my sister get murdered on TV. The worst part is, I heard she just got
her show renewed for two new seasons. That means shes going to
kill two more of us. Maybe me. Maybe you. Look, I know this guy.
Kind of loopy, says he spent some time in this magical fairyland that
messed with his head. Nuts or not, hes got my back and can do stuff
I cant. And Trung says he knows this other lady whos some kind of
vampire scientist. Yeah, yeah, I know. We need all the help we can
get, though, and Id rather hang with a vampire than see more of us
die. Are you in or not?
One cannot cut the destructive swath that Grace has
through the Begotten communities without attracting some
attention. The surviving friends and kin of Beasts Grace de-
stroyed are onto her, trying to figure out a way they can stop her
before she kills again. The only thing protecting Grace is her
relative anonymity though shes famous online, shes taken
care to obscure all the details of her personal life to avoid trolls.
Eventually, someone will figure out where she lives, and then
Grace will be in some real trouble. The more Grace reveals oc-
cult secrets in her videos, the more interested other supernatural
creatures are in silencing her.
Legend: Hunter
Life: Performer
Mental Attributes: Intelligence 3, Wits 3, Resolve 3
Physical Attributes: Strength 3, Dexterity 3, Stamina 2
Social Attributes: Presence 3, Manipulation 4,
Composure 2
Mental Skills: Academics 2, Investigation 4, Occult 2
Physical Skills: Athletics 1, Firearms 2, Stealth 1,
Weaponry (Long Knives, Blunt Objects) 4
Social Skills: Expression (Storytelling) 3, Persuasion 3,
Socialize 3, Streetwise 1, Subterfuge 2
Merits: Barfly, Contacts (Fan Base), Contacts (Local
News), Contacts (Occult), Defensive Combat (Weaponry),
Fast Reflexes 1, Fast Talking 3, Fame (Reality TV Star) 1,
Inspiring, Resources 3, Striking Looks 1
Gifts: Champions Endurance, Legendary Hunter, Open
Gate, Real World, Saints Whisper
Grace Teller 41
 Health: 7
Willpower: 5
Integrity: 4
Size: 5
Speed: 11
Initiative: 6
Defense: 7
Armor: 1/0 (3/0 when fighting Beasts)
JADA COLE
LIGHTSEEKER
I was born to end you. Thank you for helping me see that.
Background
Some people are born into greatness, some people have
greatness thrust upon them, and then there are the people that
seize greatness by the ankle and refuse to let go until it just gives
in. Jada Cole has always been the third type.
An only child, showered in praise and given just about
anything her little heart desired, she grew up at the center of
her own universe and was always happy to keep it that way. The
spotlight was something she commanded whenever possible,
as enthusiastically as possible, and while she was prone to dra-
matics (as most children are), she was still a well-behaved child,
aware of the value of rules and willing to obey them and mind
her manners. Easily the dominant personality in most groups,
she was always willing to lead any kind of game or play, casting
others in parts that centered around herself, the fearless hero.
The flavor would change depending on whatever movie or
story shed seen or heard most recently rescuing a princess
from a dragon one week, battling a robot uprising the next.
Whatever the trappings of the scenario, the idea was always the
same: beating down the bad guys, so good could win the day.
Even as she got older, Jada was inexorably drawn to stories
of someone saving the day the lone hero with the power to
right all the wrongs of the world. Comic books became her
favorite things, as well as any number of fantasy and science
fiction tales, and she was always eager to share her own take
on the stories with her friends.
As little girls tend to do, Jada and another girl in her class
became best friends, growing nearly inseparable throughout
grade school. The two might as well have been sisters, despite
how different they were. No matter what, Connie was always
willing to be the damsel to Jadas hero, and together they
planned out dozens, if not hundreds, of daring rescues and es-
capes, acted out with other children or dolls and action figures.
42 CHAPTER ONE: HEROES
Notes: Grace generally doesnt wear her armor out
and about in her daily life. She only dons her armor (an
amalgamation of protective sporting equipment and mo-
torcycle leathers) when she is actively pursuing a Beast
and intending to start a fight. Most days, shes in her
street clothes. She is always armed with at least mace
and one combat knife. If shes expecting a bigger fight,
shell make sure to have more knives and possibly even
her handgun on her.
As close as their friendship was, all good things must come
to an end; by the time the two girls entered middle school, they
were drifting apart. The stories were growing old to Connie,
though they still captivated Jada, and soon the other girl began
deriding her best friend for her childish interest. While Jada
stuck with her martial arts and fantasy books, Connie moved
on to gossip and boys, and a rift gradually grew between the
girls that tore them apart, especially as Connie systematically
turned the other children in their grade against the weird girl.
A small school district meant that no matter how far apart
they drifted from their friendship, there was little avoiding each
other around school. Jada, disheartened by her old friends
transformation, eventually found a new group of friends, but
was sure of one thing: The Connie she had always known
was no more, and an entirely separate person had taken her
place. Something fundamental about her had changed, and
there was no changing it back. Repulsed by her behavior, Jada
found herself sickly fascinated by the transformation, from the
princess who helped stage daring escapes to the evil villain that
had featured in their old stories.
By the time they entered high school, Connie had ce-
mented herself as one of the popular kids and ruled the most
elite clique in the school. Jada, meanwhile, found a home in
the comic book club, where others shared her enthusiasm for
heroes and the idea that good would always triumph in the
world, even if it struggled for a bit. More and more she found
herself identifying with the fictional characters she spent hours
reading about, kept up at night by a sense of wasted purpose
and a destiny she wasnt fulfilling.
It was thanks to her ex-friend that things finally fell into
place. As time went on, she noticed the way Connie could
manipulate others, bullying and intimidating even the teach-
ers with just a word or a look. Anyone who tried even for a
moment to stand up to her was quickly shut down, and spent
the next few days looking tired and haunted, waving it off as a her town better, and paying more attention to police patrols
bad nights sleep if questioned about it. and the news. She was looking for any odd cases, things that
For Jada, it all came to a head in the girls restroom one were unexplainable, written off as hallucinations, or cold cases
day, where upon entering she encountered Connie and an un- dismissed on improbability. A scrapbook quickly gave way to a
fortunate underclassman. The younger girl, already in tears, digital archive, and soon a public blog connecting her findings,
was shying away from the verbal onslaught condemning often accompanied by entries explaining her theories or
her. Jada slammed the door behind her when she discoveries and marking her training progress. Once
realized what was going on. she had enough information amassed, a feel for the
supernatural disturbances in her town, and confi-
In the silence that fell, she crossed the floor
dence in the ins and outs of the buildings, it was
to the other girl, ramming her shoulder into her
time to start putting herself together. Function and
old friend on the way. She could feel Connies
practicality led her to sporting goods stores, where
gaze burning into her back as she wiped the other
simple armors were available, frequently used by
girls face and helped her compose herself
paintball or motocross enthusiasts. The ensemble
again, certain now that the person she
was easy enough to put together, if not the most
had known for years was gone.
glamorous thing, and worked in the absence of
That night, as she anticipated comic book pseudoscience.
based on the stories from others, she
With the preparations out of the way, the
had trouble falling asleep. When
investigation started in earnest. The strange
she finally managed to drift off,
fluttering sensations of wrong led her to quite
the nightmare began. The world
a few individuals, some manifesting more
around her was too large; her own
strongly than others. She decided to go after
existence was tiny and meaningless,
the weakest first, and test her capabilities.
and there was nothing she could
They had their own distinct feeling, aside
do to ever change that. It cycled
from Connie. Connie was deeper, some-
through endless scenarios of being
thing that stirred the very bottom of the
overpowered, dominated, shunted
world, while these things made waves closer
aside, and abandoned. Waking
to the top. What they were escaped her for a
the next morning left her with
time, until the pieces finally fell into place. A
one absolute certainty: Connie
few days into investigating one of the weakest
was no longer entirely human, and
threats on her radar, she realized her town was
was instead something absolutely evil.
heavily populated by vampires. Those, at least,
With this revelation came a calm she could take out. After all, everyone knew how
sensation of absolute knowledge; now that to kill a vampire, right?
she knew such evil creatures existed, the call
About a week later, the first pictures started
she felt all her life, the kinship she felt with war-
showing up on her blog, photos of people who al-
riors of the light and champions of good, hadnt
ways seemed slightly blurred, video clips that would
just been childish dreams or reckless ambition.
burst into static when they panned over a certain
Her destiny had been with her for her entire life, and
someone. About a week later, the video was of another
she finally had a means to act on her true calling. All
blurry figure, this time with a stake in its chest. The
around her, she could feel the current of the world, and
next morning there was a new video, panning over a
with it, the things that caused disturbances in the dark.
pile of ash a few hours after sunrise, with the message
It took a bit of adjusting and a period of plan- so it does work, theyre real.
ning, but the next step was obvious from that first
From there it was a simple process of climbing
night. There was no way she could let her new-
the ladder, working her way up to more and more
found awareness go to waste; like the characters
dangerous opponents as she tested her skills.
she had always looked up to, she would use her
Connie never left her mind, her presence was
powers for good and become a hero. Already,
always thrashing about in the edges of Jadas
she had her arch-nemesis, her old friend
perception, and neither did the other Beast
Connie, who had led her to her destiny. Maybe
that was about town. The second signal was
one day shed find a sidekick, but that could
so strong and ubiquitous she almost hadnt
wait. What she was sure of was that there were
noticed it before. The ripples it gave off
all sorts of different threats, some worse than
werent waves, but the tide itself, and she
others, and far more than she ever could have
wasnt enough of a fool to dream she
imagined in her town.
could take down such a quarry. Not
The first steps were practical: redoubling yet, anyway.
her efforts in martial arts, learning the streets of

Jada Cole 43
 For now, the young vampires would be the first to go.
When they were all dead, she would move on to the next threat
until all her foes were vanquished. It had to be her job and hers
alone to let others know what was going on, and to protect them
when they couldnt protect themselves, and she would do it with
pride. Inspired by her first test, leaving the comatose vampire
in the sun, and her desire to share her knowledge with the rest
of the mortal world, she adopted the name Lightseeker to use
as her Heroic identity.
Description
Jada is excitable and chats eagerly about her missions
with anyone who seems curious. Enthusiastic to the point of
being off-putting, she dominates conversation and bombards
whomever she is speaking to with what she learned and what
she has accomplished. She has no qualms about confiding
that she is just working herself up to be able to take down
the truly horrific things in this world. Every measure she has
taken so far is just a stepping stone toward her ultimate goal
of hunting down and slaying the most powerful evil creatures
she can find. She has an extensive collection of DVDs, comics,
and books about the supernatural, and obviously draws upon
those protagonists when she presents herself. She enjoys the
aesthetic of the reluctant, angst-ridden protagonist, but she is
too excited about her newfound purpose in life to take on that
role herself and has instead fashioned herself in the role of the
eager savior of the world.
Jada is not so different from your average high school girl.
She has a solid, athletic build, and enjoys many physical hob-
bies along with her more bookish pursuits. She has trained in
Brazilian jiu-jitsu since she was young, and has recently taken
up free running and parkour. She is independent and head-
strong. As an only child, she is somewhat spoiled and enjoys
being the center of attention, leading to her current antics since
coming into her calling as a Hero. With her sense of purpose
clarified through the lens of hundreds of superheroes and
hometown heroines, she is eagerly attempting to make her own
name and become the first real-world version of her childhood
role models.
In her Lightseeker persona, she sticks to functional, com-
fortable clothing with practical uses. Leather jackets, paintball
and BMX gear, and heavy boots are among her standard gear,
and in the event that she uses a weapon (never against mortals,
only against evil creatures), her arsenal includes stakes, salt, pep-
per spray, a collapsible steel baton, and, for dire circumstances,
a Taser. Fully aware that her actions could easily be classified as
vigilantism, she does her best to avoid interacting with anyone
but her chosen targets. The blog she maintains is Lightseekers
connection to the world at large, but she strives to protect her
identity. She rarely posts recordings or videos that feature her
voice, and never shows her face without a mask or helmet.
While Jada is willing to help most people with whatever
they need, she cannot be swayed on her opinion of supernatural
creatures: They are all evil, and they must all die. Her worldview
is almost comically black and white in that regard and, despite
her love for comics, she has no need or love for witty banter
44 CHAPTER ONE: HEROES
STORY HOOKS
A blog has recently shown up and gone viral,
documenting various monster killings, complete
with photos of the vanquished creatures when
available. Mortals cry fake or suspect a viral
movie campaign, but the methods and details ring
alarmingly true. The supernatural community as a
whole is looking to find out what they can about
this blog and how they can either shut it down or
use it for their own purposes.
The vampire population has grown uneasy and
is looking for help in apprehending and destroy-
ing Jada for the damage she has done to their
community and their secrecy. The vampires think
she is aligned with a Hunter organization, but the
characters Brood recognizes her as a Hero. They
must decide if they want to offer their assistance to
the vampires in dealing with this threat, or let the
vampires deal with her on their own.
In order to save her own skin, a newly Devoured
Beast has pointed out the more powerful Beasts
around town and has agreed to act as a mole in
exchange for safety from Jada. This Beast asks for
your help in snooping around for information on
other Broods in the region. She is also willing to
team up to take out Jada, but is physically weak,
meaning the hardest part of the task would fall to
the Brood to undertake.
with her opponents. She considers any opinions and desires
they have irrelevant and unworthy of consideration, as she sees
them as inhuman. The quicker she can cut them down, the
better, as the longer a fight lasts the more advantages her op-
ponent will have. She has yet to go toe-to-toe with a Beast more
powerful than one who has just been through their Devouring,
and even then, both parties fled wounded. Only when faced
with a threat she considers to be too great will she negotiate, if
she cant avoid combat altogether until she is more confident
in her abilities.
Rumors
She looks like she never sleeps anymore. Have you noticed
that? I worry about what her home life is like, shes been coming
into school with bruises latelybut shes happier than shes ever
been. I asked her about it, and she said shed taken up martial arts.
Its so strange.
Jada finds it easy to throw herself wholeheartedly into her
fate of being the Hero, but acknowledges that she needs to hone
her skills before she can really tackle some of the bigger evils out
there. She spends her nights and weekends listening to the local
police scanner or hanging around the rougher parts of town,
alert for signs of supernatural activity and working on her own
fighting skills. Stopping muggings, breaking up drunken brawls,
and rescuing victims from precarious situations are all tasks
she has taken on in order to prepare for her more impressive
foes. While it may not give her the chance to exercise her own
talents, it helps keep her in better physical shape.
Shes telling anyone wholl listen that monsters are real, and
shes the only one that can stop themI mean, shes always been
obsessed with those TV shows and books with zombies and vampires
and stuff, butwere in high school, and now shes going on about
how its all real? Break in reality much?
As part of her perceived duty to fight against creatures
of darkness, Jada sees it as her mission to warn others about
their existence. Most dismiss her claims as a phase or a strange
form of teenage rebellion; broadcasting such knowledge and
parading herself as the one savior of humanity shows not only
her overconfidence, but her shortsightedness. To her enemies
in the supernatural community, her flippant disregard for the
secrecy they prefer paints an enormous target on her back. On
the other hand, it does call other Heroes to her, and the blog
she maintains documenting her work is a beacon for either
side to follow.
Tch. A vampire here or there, fine; they are the young, stupid
ones anyway. That wasnt a problem. But shes been branching
out lately, and getting better and better at tracking us down. Shell
overestimate herself soon enough, Im sure, and something will get
the better of her. Full of bravado, that one, without enough skill to
back it up.
Beasts in the area see Jada as a nuisance. She is a young,
optimistic thing raised on stories of good triumphing over evil,
without ever contemplating that her enemies are seeking to
exist and serve their purpose just as she is trying so hard to do.
Her success in destroying less powerful supernatural creatures
is unsettling for those higher up the chain, but her publicizing
DR. JAMESON STONE
THE DREAM KILLER
Son, you just go on to sleep, dont pay me no mind. After Im done,
youll never have another sleepless night, I guarantee.
Background
The depths of the human mind have always fascinated
Jameson Stone, whose single mother battled insomnia for years,
and who originally became a doctor to banish suffering from
the lives of people like his mother. As an adolescent he poked
and prodded at the emotional states of his peers, convincing
them to try strange potions and rituals that hed read about
in some obscure magazine or other and taking notes on their
reactions. Later in life, he dabbled in psychology, neurology,
her antics makes her a difficult target to take out, as a sudden
blackout of all activity and reports would earn suspicion and
investigations. As most of her early victims have been vampires,
they are most incensed about her breaking of the Masquerade
and want her silenced.
Legend: Vigilante
Life: Bookworm
Mental Attributes: Intelligence 3, Wits 4, Resolve 2
Physical Attributes: Strength 2, Dexterity 3, Stamina 3
Social Attributes: Presence 1, Manipulation 2,
Composure 3
Mental Skills: Academics 2, Computers (Social
Media) 3, Investigation 2, Occult 1
Physical Skills: Athletics (Parkour) 3, Brawl 4, Stealth 2,
Weaponry 2
Social Skills: Empathy 2, Intimidation 2, Streetwise 1,
Subterfuge 1
Merits: Alternate Identity (Lightseeker) 1, Common Sense,
Fleet of Foot 2, Parkour 4
Gifts: Kinslayer, Open Gate, Real World
Health: 8
Willpower: 5
Integrity: 6
Size: 5
Speed: 10
Initiative: 6
Defense: 6
Armor:
Notes: If Jada anticipates combat or is out in her
Lightseeker persona, her armor rating is 1/0
and even paranormal oneiromancy before settling on a career
as a physician, with a specialization in sleep disorders. The
inquisitive and philosophical Dr. Stone never shied away from
trying experimental techniques and treatments, inventing new
devices to track a sleeping patients brain activity and prescrib-
ing meditation with medicines, herbal remedies, and mental
exercises in every combination he could devise. His colleagues
concerns about the illogical and, at times, unethical bent to his
methods fell on deaf ears.
Dr Jameson Stone 45
 One night, on call on the late shift and spending the wee
hours dozing in his office, Dr. Stone fell into a disturbing dream
filled with whimpers and moans that jarred him awake with
the sudden certainty that not all was right in the sleep testing
lab. He ran through silent corridors and shoved open the door.
One of his patients, a sleepwalker spending the night for
observation, brandished her own bed in both hands
at a huddle of terrified people in the corner of the
room. She should never have been able to lift that bed,
he thought, staring openmouthed as she swung it
like a baseball bat. Another patient flew across the
room and slammed into the wall, flopping down
onto the tiles like a deflated balloon. He remembered
the whimpers in his dreams and knew without a doubt
that this woman was not what she seemed. He realized
that she was still unconscious, though she looked
wide awake. A creature of evil, dreaming it was
a person but in sleep, it revealed its true
nature. With the element of surprise on his
side, he took up the nearest weapon to hand
and crushed its skull.
After that, he embarked upon a detailed
study of what happened that night, letting
it occupy all of his free time. He spent years
following his Heroic instincts, hunting down
occult tomes of mythology and magic, and
discovering everything he could about the
Primordial Dream and its ghastly Children.
Eventually, he came to the conclusion that all
sleep disorders, mental illnesses, and nightmares
issued from that realm of deep terror, and that
the only way to free humanity from its somnolent
grasp was to destroy it utterly choosing to ignore
all the obvious real science, psychological study,
and human empathy that should have tempered
his wild ambitions.
Of course, such a grandiose undertaking cannot
be achieved without extensive study and exploration,
so now Dr. Stone spends each night experimenting
with nightmares and finding out all he can about
the Primordial Dream how it works, where it
leads, what its boundaries are, and what emerges
from its depths. He convinces his patients to agree
to various cutting-edge treatments, all furthering the
occult work he covers up under the veil of science,
although he doesnt see a difference between the two
at this point. He fills notebook after notebook with
theories about how to end a dream prematurely
without waking the sleeper or how to stop some-
one from dreaming entirely, and how the same
principles extend to this nightmare dimension
where monsters lurk, pretending to be
human beings in daylight but showing
their true colors when the world sleeps.
He refuses to rest until he unlocks the
secret to wiping the Primordial Dream
from the minds of humanity, and imagines that in doing so
he will usher in a new age of mental health and prosperity,
banishing fear forever.
Description
Dr. Stone believes that Beasts are a threat to the sanity of
the human race, and that they corrode it just by existing.
On the other hand, a Beast is fundamentally a creature
of the Primordial Dream, and that connection affords
an unparalleled opportunity to glean valuable insight
into the dreamscape. To maximize the Childrens use-
fulness without enabling their fell schemes, he seeks
them out as test subjects or supernatural assistants for
his research, then finds ways to subdue and kill
them once theyve given all they have to offer.
He prefers to convince them to help him
out when he can, promising to use his
research for their benefit, but hes
not above drugging, kidnapping,
and restraining them if need be
to get what he wants.
The good doctor is not
much of a combatant in a direct
fight, so he manipulates a situ-
ation until it suits his talents.
He crafts medicines designed
to put monsters to sleep, moni-
tors his targets patiently to
learn all he can before making
his move, and lures them with
lies and false offers. Hes usually
not so desperate as to use his hospital
and his patients as collateral to ensure
a Beasts cooperation he doesnt as-
sume Beasts care much about human
lives, and for the most part he still
does but if circumstances ever force
a choice between himself and others,
he chooses himself with the logic that
hes the only one who can stop the
nightmare worlds invasion. He em-
ploys several apprentices at any given
time, trusted interns and young hos-
pital fellows with whom he shares his
true nature as a Hero and his theories
about the Primordial Dream. They help
defend him when danger appears and
do his dirty work, whatever that entails.
Hes thus far had little contact with other
kinds of monsters, but he knows about
some of them through his research into
living myths, and if the opportunity
arose, he would be interested to
see what they had to offer in the
areas of sleep and consciousness,
dream and fear, or thought and emotion.
Dr. Stone is a friendly, middle-aged

46 CHAPTER ONE: HEROES


STORY HOOKS
Traveling through the local hive, one of the char-
acters Horrors runs across a Chamber withered
from some unknown corruption, a dead husk of a
place where mad dream-spirits roam and Beast
powers dont work properly. Further investiga-
tion of the phenomenon reveals the corruption
spreading slowly through the hive like a disease.
If it isnt stopped, it could seep into the characters
Lairs as well, and the outcome would be devas-
tating. Will the Beasts Nightmares sputter out in
the real world, too? Has the disease connected
the Primordial Dream with some hidden depth of
the Underworld somehow? Was it caused by the
murder of a Horror gone wrong, or a vast shared
nightmare of death among thousands of humans at
once, or something else? Regardless of the source,
the characters can trace it back to Dr. Stones
experiments.
The Makara that Dr. Stone tamed for his own
Heroic purposes turns out to be someone the
characters know from the past, and once she
becomes aware of their presence in the area, she
guns for them singlemindedly with all the subtlety
and cunning at her disposal. Perhaps they remind
her of a shared history her warped mind can no
longer abide, or perhaps Dr. Stone knows about
the connection and wants the newcomers out of
the way. Perhaps deep down, the Makara wants
to be rescued, but doesnt know how to ask.
One of Dr. Stones experiments goes haywire,
affecting the dreams of humans all over the area.
Powerful, devastating nightmares constantly wrack
the peoples sleep, teaching nothing and feeding
no one, making it impossible for life to continue
as normal. Businesses and schools shut down one
by one as the dreamers lose sleep and go mad,
although the hospital itself seems unaffected in the
chaos. Beasts who try to feed find that they receive
no sustenance from minds already saturated and
numbed with oneiric terror. Was the epidemic an
accidental side effect, or did the doctor inflict it
deliberately for some elaborate scheme? Can the
characters use their primordial powers to save hu-
manity from nightmares in a strange twist of fate?
black man with gray hair, glasses, and a ready smile. He dresses
professionally, like any doctor, and can usually be found wear-
ing his lab coat. He keeps a revolver hidden under his pillow
at home for self-defense, in case the monsters follow him there
through his dreams, but hes partial to bladed weapons for kill-
ing Beasts the subtler the better. Working in a hospital on
the night shift affords him some convenient ways to dispose
of bodies and dress his experiments in acceptable trappings.
It also gives him excuses to hide his work from his wife and
adolescent daughter, neither of whom know anything of his
grand plans or secret life. They think of him as the thoughtful,
intellectual man who comes home in the mornings and enjoys
a sweet-smelling cigar while he asks about their plans for the
day, and nothing more.
Rumors
Ive heard some weird shit coming from the sleep test lab in
the middle of the night. I dont know what theyre doing in there,
but Ill tell you what, I dont clean that room until the sun comes
up. One of the patients told me she saw the doctor hook up a tube
to a mans head and suck his brains right out. Said his brains were
poisoned, and the doc, he drained out all the poison and then put
the brains back in, good as new. God help me, I believe her.
The hospital night staff whisper about Dr. Stone behind
closed doors, noticing the oddities in his behavior that others
never see. Theyre afraid to ask questions or venture into the
sleep test lab, so none of them have ever confirmed or denied
any of the strange tales that circulate. In truth, Dr. Stone has
never performed any sort of work on anyones literal brains,
surgical or occult, and the patients story was a confused, half-
asleep version of an explanation the doctor gave that she didnt
understand. Still, characters following up on the story can find
records of experiments that metaphorically fit the description,
and piece together his true work from there.
They say one of us lurks around the hive in these parts, a
Makara, working for the Dream Killer. He brainwashed her, twisted
up her dreams and made her a kinslayer, and now she goes around
dragging us back to his lab so he can twist up our dreams, too. Youll
know her by the tune shes always whistling.
The local Children speak of a traitor to their own kind,
one who hunts like a Hero but still hungers like a Beast.
Unfortunately for the local Children, theyre right. Dr. Stone
managed to not only recruit this Makara to his cause, but to
warp her perceptions of her own family and the Primordial
Dream into hatred. She uses her primal power to damage the
hive and corrupt Lairs, to steal food from her brethren and make
them desperate, and to bring the doctor whatever he needs for
his experiments. She does kill other Beasts if the need arises,
but her mandate is to capture them when possible.
Im applying for the internship program at the local hospital.
The doctor there is famous for his work in sleep disorders and dream
interpretation; hes a genius and I heard his interns get all kinds
of extra bennies. Free experimental drugs, confidential expeditions,
and supposedly, he can get you into a secret government conference.
Only the best of the best get accepted. Dont repeat this, but I heard
some people come out of this program changed. Better. I dont know
exactly how, but Im going to find out.
Its not easy to lay hands on an application for Dr. Stones
elite internship program, but it does exist, and quiet rumors
about it circulate on med school campuses all over the state.
The selection criteria have little to do with GPA and MCAT
scores, though. The required essays divulge an applicants private
ideas about the nature of dreams and terror, and from them
Stone can glean inklings of how openminded a student is to the
otherworldly. Those who join the program become his personal
Dr Jameson Stone 47
 apprentices and, while the tales of government involvement
are mere bunk, the doctor does take them on field trips into
the Primordial Dream and provides them with narcotics that
help them see into the supernatural. If they prove worthy, he
performs experiments that wake bizarre abilities in them, the
better to support him in his quest. The Storyteller can represent
these as supernatural Merits if she plans to use the apprentices
in her chronicle.
Legend: Savior
Life: Caretaker
Mental Attributes: Intelligence 5, Wits 2, Resolve 3
Physical Attributes: Strength 2, Dexterity 2, Stamina 3
Social Attributes: Presence 2, Manipulation 4,
Composure 3
Mental Skills: Academics 4, Crafts (Pharmaceuticals) 1,
Investigation 1, Medicine (Sleep) 5, Occult 3, Science 1
Physical Skills: Athletics 1, Brawl 1, Firearms 1, Stealth 1,
Weaponry (Small Blades) 2
Social Skills: Empathy 4, Persuasion 3, Socialize 1,
Subterfuge 3
Merits: Closed Book 3, Indomitable, Interdisciplinary
Specialty (Sleep), Library (Medicine) 2, Resources 4,
Status (Hospital) 3
Gifts: Dream Killer (below), Legendary Hunter,
Loremaster, Open Gate, Shepherds Gaze (below)
Health: 8
Willpower: 6
Integrity: 4
Size: 5
Speed: 9
Initiative: 5
Defense: 3
Armor:
Notes: Dr. Stone uses Intelligence + Medicine for
Loremaster, attempting to apply his medical research into
the source of dreams to bear against Beasts.
The Closed Book Merit appears on p. 50 of the
Chronicles of Darkness Rulebook.
Dream Killer
The Hero is a champion of the waking world, shining the
bright light of stark reality onto anything that would muddle
the mind. Beasts rely on that murky nightmare space below the
collective consciousness to strike fear into their preys hearts.
With this Gift, the Hero exposes and denies the nightmare,
assuring one and all that it was only a dream, after all.
This Gift reduces the time it takes to make each roll of an
extended action to destroy a Lair Chamber by half. If the Hero
accumulates enough successes to destroy a Chamber before he
runs out of available rolls, he may add the number of rolls he
had left as dice to the first roll of another extended action to
48 CHAPTER ONE: HEROES
destroy an adjacent Chamber, as long as he can pass through
a Burrow to the next Chamber before the first one collapses.
Shepherds Gaze
Like the shepherd watching over a helpless flock of sheep,
the Hero keeps watch for any wolves that lurk inside an unsus-
pecting dreamers mind.
Heroes with Shepherds Gaze can try to tune in to the
dreams of a sleeping person in the real world, seeing them
play out in a vision and noticing any sign of interference from
a Beast or her Horror immediately whether its a Nightmare
that triggers when the sleeper wakes, the presence of the Horror
in the dream, or some lingering influence.
A Beast must have targeted the sleeper with a Nightmare
or her Horror must have come into contact with the sleepers
dreams at some point within the last month for this Gift to
work. Otherwise, the Hero has no connection to follow into
the dream and sees nothing. This Gift can reveal other kinds
of supernatural dream manipulation once activated, such as
from changeling oneiromancy or mages traveling the Astral,
but the Hero still needs a Beasts meddling to first initiate the
vision unless the source is directly connected to the Primordial
Dream. Interference from non-Beast sources is fuzzier and
harder to identify, and the Storyteller should limit the Heros
information accordingly.
Dice Pool: (Finesse Attribute) + Occult vs. Beasts Resolve
Action: Instant, but the vision lasts until the sleeper wakes
or the Hero stops watching
Roll Results
Dramatic Failure: The Hero loses himself in the dream,
unable to extract himself or perceive anything in the real world
with clarity. He takes a three-die penalty to all rolls for the rest
of the scene, and if a Beast or her Horror is present in the
dream and succeeds at a Wits + Composure roll, she can feel
that someone is watching.
Failure: The Hero fails to connect to the dream.
Success: The Hero sees the sleepers dream play out and
spots signs of a Beasts recent influence as some kind of cor-
ruption or something that looks eerily out of place. He gleans
the nature of the influence, such as which Nightmare was used
or what happened when a Horror visited. He doesnt gain any
specific information about the Beast herself, although he can
see the Horror clearly if its there at the time, but he gains a
three-die bonus to future rolls to place Anathema on her or
identify her.
Exceptional Success: The Hero may exert his own influ-
ence on the dream, either ending it immediately without waking
the sleeper, or making his presence as watcher unequivocally
known to any beings that dont belong there. If the dream ends
while a foreign presence is inside it, that presence is shunted
back out.
 MARLENA SARCOSA
THE SENTINEL
I cannot and will not let that monster do as he pleases. I do this for my children,
for your children, and so no one else will ever have to be his victim.

Background on, not because she wants to, but because she knows no one
else will. This applies to all the children in the neighborhoods
They call her many names in her neighborhood and in the she watches over, as she does not want another mother to go
district where her kids go to school. They call her bitch, welfare through the loss of her kids.
queen, and the girl who couldnt keep her legs shut. She knows
Since then, Marlena has changed everything about herself
they whisper these names quietly behind her back, but she does
to fit her new life. She works out every day after seeing the kids
not care. She knows who she is, and what she has to do. She
off to school, and she plays brain teasers and puzzles on her
is a mom, and the only words that ever hurt her are the ones
lunch break to keep her mind sharp. She has dedicated herself
that come from her children. As for the rest of the world, she
to fighting a war only she can see, which means she cannot
could not care if it does what she says or gets the fuck out of
afford any hesitation when she must fight the monsters again.
her way, as she believes only she can protect her kids from the
terrors shes seen in the world. Her guiding lights in this life are her four children, Maria,
Christopher, Catalina, and Tyreese. Christopher and Tyreese
Once, she trusted the system to help her. She was grateful
were Veras, and they often remind her of Vera when she sees
for everything the system provided for her. Her family had a
them smile. Of the four, Christopher is the one most prone
home, and her kids went to school thanks to the system. But,
to getting into trouble, and Marlena finds she worries about
it failed her family when they needed it most, and it cost her
him the most. The others dutifully obey their mother, and she
Vera, her wife of three years. She lost her when one day Vera
watches over all of them equally. Once a Beast tried to hold
came home from a cleaning job talking about the strange
leverage over her by sending her children threats via their cell
woman whose house she cleaned that day. That night, Marlena
phones; soon the children stopped receiving the threatening
dreamed of a vast marsh where her feet were stuck in the mud.
messages, and Marlenas score of victories over the monsters of
She watched as Vera strolled through the wetlands, completely
the world increased by one. The Namtaru who dared to do so
oblivious to the creature swimming next to her. She woke up
was dredged from the local river one piece at a time.
screaming her wifes name when the creature went to devour
her, and, a few minutes later, she received a phone call from She traveled with a Band once, and she still calls upon
the police saying that Veras body was discovered in an empty her fellow Heroes from time to time, but to her it was a giant
parking lot not far from the house she had been cleaning. waste of time. She met a man named Montana who promised
her that her neighborhoods would never be the target of any
When Marlena next saw the woman, she swore she saw
more hauntings thanks to some help from his friends. In the
the same beast from her dream standing before her, acting like
six months she worked with him, they killed two Beasts and a
a normal human, and smiling as if nothing had happened.
monster who claimed to have escaped from something called
Marlena turned to the system for justice, but found noth-
the Fae, but for Marlena there was too much indecision. The
ing. It was only when the Beast came for their children that
Band spent as much time arguing among themselves and not
Marlena found the strength inside of her to act. She paralyzed
focusing on the task at hand as they did pursuing and destroy-
the creature with her words, and found the strength to tear
ing the monsters around them. For Marlena, this inaction was
the Beast apart with her fists. She hid from the world for two
the same as refusing to do their jobs.
days, afraid that the police would come and take her children
from her, but the police did not appear to know it was her. It Marlena is never comfortable around others, even around
was almost as if the system had suddenly turned a blind eye to people she knows, because she has felt betrayal and it colors her
what had happened. views on everyone. She has seen her best friend destroyed by
drugs, has seen children caught up in violence in her neighbor-
Marlena realized that she had no choice but to be the
hood, and her ex-wifes trusting nature led to her death. As such,
one who watches the world around her. She once dreamed of
she judges everyone for not what they are but what they could
being a happy homemaker, content to raise her kids and work
be, which is a survival tactic that has worked well for her so far.
her job at the overpriced kitchen appliance store at the mall.
When Vera died, she realized a part of her did not die, but The fact that some people cannot stand her abrasive or
became stronger. She now faces the monsters of the world head seemingly-demanding demeanor matters little to her. Her whole

Marlena Sarcosa 49
 life has been a litany of working against what others think of
her, and now she finds that she needs to work twice as hard
as both a Hero and a mother. Other peoples opinions do not
matter to her, as she knows what she needs to do to survive.
Peoples opinions are worthless, and only their actions towards
her are what matters.
Marlenas hobby has always been clothing,
and since she has always placed her children
first before everything else in her life, she has
been able to use her creativity when creating
her own wardrobe. An expert seamstress,
she is able to mimic current fashion and
always appears to be wearing the latest styles.
She is often derided for her fashion sense,
and some insult her by saying she spends
more on herself than her kids, but she
is just better skilled at adapting rags
into riches than others. She always
keeps an eye out for what others
are wearing and thinks of ways to
make similar clothing for a fraction
of the cost.
This changes when she patrols
her neighborhoods. She wears gray
sweaters and blue jeans, and her run-
ning shoes are always comfortably
worn so as not to give her any surprises
when she has to run quickly. She does
not wear any logos or have any defining
characteristics to her clothing when she is
in her role as a Hero, as it makes it harder to
trace her back to her family. She has a small
group of trusted informants in each of her
neighborhoods with whom she trades food and
clothing in exchange for keeping an eye out for bad
influences that may creep in. Most of the time she
receives information that is fairly useless, but shes
learned to keep an ear open for any rumors that might
suggest a more otherworldly threat is at hand.
When confronting a Beast in its Lair, which she
finds is easier for her to slip into than some other
Heroes, she is all about aggression. She only tries to
reason with the Beast if she feels that it would help her
children stay safe, but if she feels that is unlikely, she
charges headlong at her opponent. She is not a newcomer
to fighting, and reacts with the skill of a trained boxer. If
she realizes early on that her attacks have no effect on the
Beast, she takes off running. Her pride is consoled by
the fact that proper planning and research
will help her kill the Beast the next time
they fight.
Over the past year, she has begun to
spread out from her neighborhood and her
childrens schools and into other areas around the
city. She knows that the truth behind why she has
become an interested member of the PTA would
50 CHAPTER ONE: HEROES
unsettle her fellow parents, so she plays the part of a firebrand
speaking against misallocation of school funds and demanding
better grades from the teachers of these schools. She believes in
these things, but these are just covers for her to move against
Beasts without them catching on to what she is doing. She keeps
a detailed mental list of every strange visitor to her neighbor-
hood each week and writes down in a hidden journal the
names and descriptions of those she has confirmed as
Beasts. To date she has claimed five Beasts, and as her
legend grows she risks upsetting the Primordial Dream,
but to her the Primordial Dream does not matter if it
means saving her children from harm.
The truth is, she would love to stand down from her
role as a Hero. She sees her children growing before her
eyes, and misses her chances to be with them. She knows
that soon they will be moving on with their lives,
and as a mother she hurts every time they reach a
milestone that she is not there to witness. Then
she remembers she has seen literal monsters
in their midst, and thinks of the bridge troll
she discovered eating teenage runaways that
nobody could see but her, and she finds the
focus she needs for her fury.
Description
Marlena has two sides the world
gets to see. First, there is the tense,
tightly wound character who is
constantly counting the minutes in
the day and acts as if she is a police
officer on duty. She is always careful
and precise, and always looks behind
her when she walks down the street.
Very few things escape her eyes, which
often look tired and drained from liv-
ing such a life. On the other hand, there
is the Marlena that appears in those rare
moments when she permits herself to re-
lax. In these moments the true exhaustion
sweeps over her, but she is much happier.
The pain and the tension of the day drift off
of her as she enjoys video games with her kids
or helps the kids with their homework. In many
ways, the woman she is when she is around her
kids is much like the woman who married Vera
years ago.
In her late 30s, Marlena has a thin scar near
her right ear lobe and her nose curves slightly from
injuries she sustained as a teenager. She carries
herself like a mother lion when around her
kids, content to let them play and behave as
children, but never once taking her eyes off
them. She has an aristocratic air about her,
and tends to not care what others may think
of her in public.
When she realizes she is dealing with a Beast,
she immediately becomes alert. It is hard for Marlena to hide
her contempt for dealing with Beasts, and although she knows
that the element of surprise is important, she has trouble keep-
ing her seething hatred at bay or the venomous look from her
eyes. She knows that not everyone can see the world as she can,
and will play it off as nothing in front of strangers, but she just
as much wants Beasts to be aware of who she is and to fear her
rather than play a nave victim.
Rumors
You always hear about that mother lion shit, right? About
how you should never fuck with a lioness cubs or else she will tear
your face to ribbons? Well, a buddy of mine learned the hard way.
He tried to mess with this checkout girl at the grocery, thinking she
would be the one to satisfy his Hunger. Well, that guys not a friend
anymore. Hes not an anything, anymore.
Marlena is a ferocious combatant, having trained to push
herself past limitations and to keep herself in the fight as long
as possible. Once, when cornered by an Eshmaki who reacted
to her trespassing in his Lair with rage, she was able to keep
fighting even with five crushed ribs and her left eye had swollen
shut. As for the Eshmaki, Marlena kept swinging until she felt
the exhilarating feel of having destroyed a Beast.
Honestly, I hated dealing with that woman. She was the kind
of person who would make your life hell just to find out what was
really in the Salisbury steak in the cafeteria each day. I used to say I
hated her, but then one day she saved my life. I dont know how she
knew I was seeing someone behind my wifes back, but right before
the thing transformed into a skeleton and tried to suck my soul out
that woman kicked in the door and kicked that things ass. Since
then, if she asks me for anything, I give it to her. And Ive never
cheated on my wife again.
Marlenas habits of keeping notes on people can sometimes
become paranoia, but so far she has not had to blackmail people
to do what she says. She does not risk their lives either, instead
acting on information only when she feels she must act on it.
When she noticed that the strange mysterious woman who was
showing up at school plays and making moves on the faculty
did not resonate well with her, she started following the woman
around to see who she was. While the woman turned out to
not be a Beast, she was not human and in killing her, Marlena
managed to save the principal of her kids middle school. This
worked to her advantage until he retired from teaching to focus
on his marriage.
We heard there was a witch at the local school. Said she could
make a man freeze just by glaring at him and saying something in
Spanish. I wouldnt have believed it if I hadnt seen her do it. Mr.
Bradford came down to the school to try to meet and greet with
the parents there, and this woman just cornered him outside of the
school. She made Mr. Bradford and his giant gorilla of a bodyguard
stand frozen in their tracks like they had been hit by a freeze ray or
something. Shes got the whole school wrapped around her finger
cause of her sorcery.
Her reputation as a Hero, as well as her powers, allows her
to stop a Beast in his tracks, and when it comes to protecting the
STORY HOOKS
One of your Brood is finding his name slandered
online, which is making it difficult for his human
self as he quickly finds himself the target of an
online smear campaign. Labeled as a threat to the
community, the perpetrator behind this campaign,
Marlena Sarcosa, is quickly bringing people over
to her side by claiming that your Broodmate is a
ravenous monster in human clothing.
Something is disturbing the Primordial Dream, and
the ripples this disturbance is causing are echo-
ing not just in your dreams, but in the dreams of a
Hero. The Hero is an adamant foe of all Beasts,
but the Primordial Dream hints that by working
together you will be able to save the Family. But,
whose family is it referring to?
A Hero has gone on the warpath, rallying her
Band to her side and setting herself against any
Beast that crosses her path. The Heros face is fa-
miliar, as she is the grieving mother from the news
whose son has gone missing. Her rage is pal-
pable, and she has destroyed a notorious Eshmaki
whose Lair was destroyed as an example to all
others. No one knows if returning her child to her
will calm the Heros fury, but the Hero will either
lead to the Broods destruction or her own.
Lately, you have heard rumors of a creature mov-
ing into the nearby neighborhoods and taking
control. No one is sure who he is, but the police
refuse to touch him and he manifests strange,
unexplainable abilities. Soon the people of these
neighborhoods flock to him like a cult, and his
power is growing daily. Rumor has it that he used
to live on the east side of the city, but was driven
out by a Hero there who kept him from entering
her neighborhoods. Perhaps she has some clues
as to who this person is and where his powers
come from.
Rumors have reached your Brood that a Hero on
the east side of the city is finally getting whats
coming to her, and on the news, you hear a
story about a mothers kids kidnapped from their
school. While she may have been responsible for
a friends death, you know that targeting her chil-
dren will enrage Marlena, and this will be the last
straw that drives her towards bringing unending
pain and misery upon you and your Brood, unless
you act on this.
innocent, she puts everything she has on the line. Mr. Bradford
was a real estate developer who wanted to get the school to
agree to raising tuition in order to pay for a new sports center
on the premises, and his bodyguard, an Alakim who used his
boss connections to help him feed, became paralyzed in fear
when Marlena threatened him at the door to the school. As
for the school, Marlenas reputation for being a fierce fighter
Marlena Sarcosa 51
 has worked to her advantage more often than not. She does Legend: Parent
not possess any sorcery or power other than her Gifts, certainly Life: Guardian
nothing that affects ordinary people. Her real talent, when it Mental Attributes: Intelligence 2, Wits 3, Resolve 3
comes to dealing with people in a position of authority, is know- Physical Attributes: Strength 4 (6 vs. Beasts),
ing how to stick to her guns and that persistence can pay off. Dexterity 4, Stamina 3
You ever notice those run down neighborhoods near 16th and Social Attributes: Presence 3, Manipulation 3,
Franklin? The ones that were by that mall that closed? Well, every Composure 2
time I think about going near there something just sets off my senses. Mental Skills: Academics 1, Crafts 1, Investigation
Its like everybody near there knows who you are just by walking by. (Police Records, Internet Profiles) 4, Occult 2, Politics
I cant even drive by that place without what looks like a few moms (PTA) 3
in hoodies whispering among themselves and calling the cops. They Physical Skills: Athletics 2, Brawl (Street Brawling) 4,
say theres some kind of neighborhood watch leader there thats got Drive 1, Larceny 1, Stealth (Surveillance) 3, Survival 2,
the whole place tuned up like a military base, so I stay clear of it as Weaponry 2
much as possible. Social Skills: Empathy 2, Intimidation (Aggressive
Negotiation) 3, Persuasion 2, Socialize 1, Streetwise 3
Marlena has managed to create a small following of people
Merits: Danger Sense, Defensive Combat (Brawl),
in her community that are eager to report anything they see Fast Reflexes 2, Fleet of Foot, Relentless Assault 2
to her. Shes actually delivered on the promise to protect their
Gifts: Kinslayer, Open Gate, Real World,
kids from harm, and they have begun to see her kind of justice Vanquishers Strength
as the kind that should really matter in the world. Many times,
Health: 8
the first phone calls about suspicious people lurking around
neighborhoods and schools are to Marlenas cell phone, not
Willpower: 5
the cops. While she works with the police, she knows they do Integrity: 7
not understand the real threat, or worse, are actively helping Size: 5
the Beasts evade justice. Speed: 13
Initiative: 8
Defense: 7
Armor: 1/0

MARTIN WHIST
THE SILENCER
Please be quiet. I cant think with all this screaming.

Background suggested marine biology, while his girlfriend wanted him to

keep the sea as a hobby buy a boat and go out on the ocean
Martin hates noise. He spends much of his time and money on weekends. Martin wasnt sure; none of it sounded bad, but
trying to escape it. He soundproofs his apartment, presses his none of it made him want to drop everything, either.
techie friends to find ways to insulate his car against audible
He stood on the beach one evening, while the sun set over
intrusion, and rarely speaks. He hates the Begotten, the Makara
the water, and tried to figure it out. He was 17, and he needed
in particular, for taking away from him the one perfect place
to decide on a path for his life, or so his family and his teach-
on Earth the deep oceans.
ers told him. He stood and watched the waves for a long time,
Martin Whist grew up comfortable, if not wealthy, in the waiting for an epiphany. It never came.
Pacific Northwest. He did well in school, and as he finished
All that happened was a bunch of bikers rode by on the
with high school, he started to think about what he wanted to
highway near the beach, pipes blaring loud enough to rattle
do with the rest of his life. Hed always been a strong swimmer
the teeth in his skull. Martin turned and glared at them, but
and spent his summers working the beaches as a lifeguard, and
even after they were gone, the din remained. He didnt know
thought he might like to do something on the water. Maybe
then, and still doesnt know now, why it was that moment
hed join the Navy as his father had, or maybe hed go north to
that changed the way he perceived the world, but from then
Alaska and take work on a fishing boat for a while. His mother

52 CHAPTER ONE: HEROES

on, he heard everything. He heard the swish of his pant legs as
he walked, the pop of his girlfriends gum, the constant tack
tack tack of his friends fingers on their phones keyboards. He
heard zippers on jackets, the whiney edge to childrens voices,
and the sharp, dissonant brass of a teachers disapproval. He
heard brakes squealing, radios blaring, and the millions of
shouts and barks and laughs of people. They never shut
up. The noise never stopped.
In the weeks that followed, Martins grades
began to slip. He couldnt concentrate. He told
his parents what was happening, but they assumed
it was hormones or senioritis. His mother finally
took him to an audiologist, and while the test
revealed that Martins hearing acuity was
well above average, nothing seemed
to be wrong.
The problem, though, was
getting worse. It wasnt that ev-
erything seemed loud, exactly,
just that Martin responded
to sound differently. He
couldnt sleep without ear-
plugs and noise-canceling
headphones. He couldnt
drive with the radio on.
He couldnt watch TV, and
he could barely stand the
high-pitched hum of a com-
puter screen long enough to do
his homework. In three months,
he went from a solid B+ average
in school to being in danger of
failing. His parents finally took him
to neurologist, but the tests were,
again, inconclusive.
The day that spring break began,
Martin drove his car out to the beach,
and waded into the ocean. He dove deep,
trying to escape the sounds, and for a
few brief moments, he knew peace. The
ocean wasnt silent, but sound traveled
differently, and for whatever reason it
was enough. He knew he couldnt stay,
but he learned to dive, both with and
without SCUBA tanks. If he had respite
from the endless noise, then maybe, just
maybe, life on the surface would be liv-
able. Maybe he could learn to endure it.
Six months later, he saw the mon-
ster, and he realized the noise would
never stop. He had no safe place, no
quiet place, not as long as it was there.
Martin was diving, looking at sea life and
enjoying the silence, when he saw her.
She was human, but at a depth far too
great for a human to endure. At first,
he thought she was dead, a corpse sinking into the ocean. He
swam toward her, thinking to drag the body back to the surface,
and then he saw her move.
She turned and saw him, and swam away much faster
than any normal person could have. He floated there, staring,
horrified, and as he surfaced, he realized the deeps were no
longer silent. He heard the rushing currents, the grind of
boat propellers, and the wind over the waves. His silent
place was gone. She it had taken it away.
It took two months for Martin to decide to kill her.
It took three more months to find her. Martin wasnt
sure how he did it. He went back to the ocean every
weekend, searched the same area where hed seen her,
until finally he caught a glimpse. He took a picture of her,
and then resurfaced, printed it, and tracked her down.
When he found her, she was sitting on the beach, by
a bonfire, surrounded by friends. She could have
been a classmate. Martin almost left, but then she
tossed a stick into the fire, and it burned with crack-
ing sounds loud enough to bring tears to his eyes.
Martin followed her to the parking lot and
shot her in the back. He left her dying, and ran
to the ocean. He swam out into the dark, dove
deep, and dropped the gun into the depths.
As he did, he realized that everything was
quiet again.
It didnt last.
Martin did get his boat. His parents
arent sure where he got the money; they
know he got a job after high school and
theyre disappointed he never enrolled in
college, but they figure with tuition prices
what they are, maybe hes making a smart
choice, in the long run. After all, when they
read his emails, he seems happy. He wont talk on
the phone, but then he has that weird condition
that makes sound so intense. Hes doing all right,
they think.
Martin is decidedly not doing all right. The
monster he killed was one of many. The oceans are
his safe place. He doesnt even need the whole ocean,
just a few miles of coastline, just enough that he can dive
and be at peace for a whilebut he always hears them. He
dives, and he hears the creatures, the obscene, inhuman
things that pollute his waters. He marks them, he hunts
them, then he kills them, and in so doing, he grows stronger.
As he grows stronger, though, the world around him
grows louder. Martin sees this happening, but he cannot stop.
Description
Martin Whist doesnt speak unless he has no
other choice. He wears earbuds at all times, seldom
makes eye contact, and projects an air of annoyance
and isolation. He shops online, to avoid human interaction,
and learned American Sign Language to have some method
Martin Whist 53

STORY HOOKS
Obviously, Martin Whist works best in a story set on a
coast or out on the ocean. His followers are eerily
silent, communicating in sign language or with
other visual signals, and Martin himself is efficient,
fast, and deadly. Here are few possible story
hooks using the Silencer:
A Makara approaches the brood looking for
help. She caught Martins attention and now shes
afraid shes marked. She wants to get inland, far
from the ocean, but Martin grabbed her lap-
top, which contains journal entries naming other
Beasts, complete with photos. Can the brood help
their unfortunate sister? Are their pictures in the
journal?
A representative of the local changeling Court
approaches the characters (assuming an estab-
lished relationship). He tells them that a motley
of changelings died off the coast; pieces of their
bodies started washing ashore this morning, in-
cluding that of his brother. He wants to investigate,
but the other Lost in the area are understandably
terrified of whatever did this, and he himself cant
bring himself to look too closely at what happened
to his brother. Why did Martin kill these change-
lings? How can the brood learn the truth without
coming to Martins attention? If they tell their
changeling friend about Martin, will they also join
his inevitable quest for revenge?
Martin manages to kill an Incarnate. This has a
strange effect: It calls up a hurricane, but keeps the
eye of the storm focused on Martins boat. The eye
of the hurricane is calm and silent, and although
Martin is finally free of the noise of the world, he is
terrified that he will never be able to leave his boat
again. Can the characters get to the boat, perhaps
using the Primordial Pathways? If they do, how
else might this killing have changed Martin Whist?
of communication that doesnt cause him pain. His followers
arent always deaf, but they learn enough ASL to communicate.
Theyre aware that Martin once snapped and strangled a guy
who just wouldnt shut up.
Martin is an expert sailor and boater. He can hold his
breath for nearly four minutes, and he is a superb marksman
with conventional weapons and firearms designed to work un-
derwater. He keeps himself at the peak of health. His body is
strong and lean, and he cuts his blond hair short or shaves his
head entirely. He tends to let his fingernails grow long, though;
the sound of nail clippers is especially upsetting to him. Martin
is white, in his late 20s, and sports a prominent tan from many
long hours on the ocean. He dresses in soft clothing, and prefers
drawstring pants to anything with a zipper (he hates the sound).
His speedboat, the Styx, sports a reinforced hull and several
hidden compartments, stocked with guns and ammunition.
When he goes out on hunts, he sometimes rigs the boat with
54 CHAPTER ONE: HEROES
explosives. If hes going to die on the water, he wants to make
sure he takes his target with him.
Martin doesnt want to kill, and doesnt especially enjoy
it. His preferred method of killing is by using firearms; they al-
low him to inflict maximum damage at a distance, and he has
no desire to fistfight a sea monster. Guns are loud, of course,
but the noise is brief and intense, and he can prepare for it.
He always uses proper ear protection when shooting. After a
kill, be it a Beast or some other aquatic supernatural creature,
Martin leaves his followers at a nearby beach or dock and goes
out diving, retreating into the water for as long as possible
before, inevitably, some other monster catches his attention.
Martin isnt much for introspection. He doesnt know what
happened to him or why, and hes never tried to track down the
cause of his condition or find a way to understand or cure it.
He knows, on some level, that killing monsters is a temporary
method, but he doesnt have any idea how to figure out the
truth. He might be amenable to such research, if someone were
willing to help him get started, preferably without speaking.
Rumors
You think youre safe just because you can swim? Bullshit.
Youre not safe. Ahab. Jonah. Perseus. Read the classics; youll find
all kinds of dudes who cant wait to set out to sea and conquer it.
Theres a reason for that. Its all the same Hero. I dont mean its
literally the Biblical Jonah, but hes the latest incarnation. Hes on
a whaling boat sometimes, other times its just a little trawler and
hes there with a big fuck-off shotgun. He remembers all these other
hunts. Hes not just a Hero, hes the guy who looks at the ocean and
thinks, I can beat that.
OK, laugh if you want, but that attitude is nuts, right? The
ocean covers most of the world, so think about the arrogance it takes
to think you know it, or that you can beat it. And yet heres this guy,
this one guy over and over, who keeps taking on the Leviathan, the
kraken, the sea serpent, the whale, and winning.
Makara are hard to kill in the water. They are practiced at
using what is, to human beings, an alien environment to best
advantage. A Hero that not only hunts seagoing Makara but
manages to effectively kill them is an anomaly, and worthy of
fear. That said, Martin Whist doesnt care about the ongoing
struggle of man vs. environment, nor does he see himself as
a part of a longstanding legacy of sea monster hunters. If he
ever stopped to think about it, though, he might admit that
he doesnt hunt ocean creatures for sport, fun, or even as a
means to exert dominance over the sea. He feels a great deal of
humility about the ocean (apart from the fact that he regards
it as his exclusive domain). He simply wants to calm the seas,
empty them of sound, and luxuriate in the silence. This is,
arguably, a desire akin to taming the chaos of the seas, and
therefore comparable to what the classic heroes of myth were
trying to do in killing their aquatic quarry. Maybe Martin has
a more illustrious history than he thinks.
Hes a smuggler. He runs guns, drugs, and diamonds. Comes
out of Mexico, South Africa, Florida, Cuba, wherever, delivers the
stuff to buyers in international waters. Killing monsters? Im sure
hes tagged a couple of us, yeah, but I think its incidental. Really,
its all about the money. Everything else is just him cultivating an
image, or people misinterpreting what hes doing. You ever see him,
just sink his damn boat and call it a day.
Martin Whist has taken on smuggling jobs, but he lets
his followers set up the details and he just drives the boat. His
lifestyle doesnt pay for itself, after all, and if he can take on
some lucrative, if illegal, work to keep the boat afloat, that suits
him fine. If he can find people willing to sell or trade him high
ordinance or arm and armor the Styx, even better.
I saw him once. I was eating conch fritters at a little stand
by the ocean in Nassau, and he goes cruising by on his boat. I was
talking to Marie yeah, thats the one, the one that liked to magic
herself a set of gills and swim around by the reef. He looks at us,
and I mean, he had to be 50 yards away and his motors going loud,
but I swear to god, he heard us. I headed inland. Id heard the sto-
ries. You see the Styx, you head for the hills. Marie, she hadnt heard
the stories, or maybe they just didnt have the same gravity to mages,
I dont know. All I know is she went swimming and I havent seen
her since.
Martin has a reputation among Beasts and other supernatu-
ral beings that frequent the oceans. They tell stories of his ship
(the Styx is, in some versions, a Somali pirate ship, a refurbished
battleship, or even a submarine), his deadly accuracy with a rifle,
and his eerie ability to make the oceans go dead calm. They also
say that if one lays eyes on Martin or his ship, the only thing
to do is head for high ground, someplace far from the ocean.
Martin has no such power over the sea, of course (though he
is a terrifying shot). Likewise, he is perfectly happy to track a
Beast inland if he feels he can. He simply prefers being close to
the water so that when the hunt is concluded, he can get down
into the silent deeps as soon as possible.
MICHAEL BELLINGER
STALKER OF BEASTS
Its not enough that I kill you. You have to say youre sorry for every ounce
of pain youve ever inflicted and brother, youve inflicted a lot of pain.
Lets get started!
Background
Michael Bellinger has a peculiar type of story for a Hero.
All Heroes are intended to be part of the lesson mankind is
supposed to learn from the tale, or at least they are to provide
further explanation for the moral of the story. Michael Bellinger
is bordering on the opposite of that, or perhaps he represents
Legend: Hunter
Life: Arrogant
Mental Attributes: Intelligence 2, Wits 5, Resolve 4
Physical Attributes: Strength 4, Dexterity 4, Stamina 5
Social Attributes: Presence 2, Manipulation 1,
Composure 5
Mental Skills: Academics 2, Crafts (Repair) 3,
Investigation 2, Occult 1
Physical Skills: Athletics (Swimming) 4, Brawl 2,
Drive (Boat) 4, Firearms (Rifle) 4, Stealth 2, Survival 3,
Weaponry 2
Social Skills: Animal Ken 3, Intimidation 2, Streetwise
(Smuggling) 3
Merits: Anonymity 3, Contacts (Black Market), Danger
Sense, Direction Sense, Fast Reflexes 2, Firefight 3,
Language (ASL), Marksmanship 3, Patient, Resources 2,
Trained Observer 3
Gifts: Kinslayer, Real World, Warriors Speed
Health: 10
Willpower: 9
Integrity: 5
Size: 5
Speed: 13 (23 vs. Beasts and supernatural creatures
with Family Ties)
Initiative: 11
Defense: 8
Armor:
Notes: The Styx is a modified motorboat (p. 98
Chronicles of Darkness Rulebook) with the fol-
lowing traits: Size 10, Dice Modifier -1, Durability 5,
Structure 15, High Acceleration.
The Firefight and Marksmanship Merits appear on p. 61
and p. 63 of the Chronicles of Darkness Rulebook,
respectively.
a new kind of story, born of the 21st century. He is a murderer
who is a Hero because of who he murders, and not for who
he saves.
Born in Last Chance, Tennessee to hardworking parents at
the local rubber factory, he benefitted heavily from his parents
labors. From an early age, they groomed him to have a better life
than they did. They pushed him to excel in school, and he was
Michael Bellinger 55
 able to attend NYU on a scholarship. He was often the butt of
jokes and pranks there, with his heavy Tennessean accent and
lack of any fine clothes or electronics. His first semester he spent
working at the campus bookstore and taking out loans, which
unfortunately only went so far, to help him survive at college.
It was one night when he was working at the
library that he noticed a strange man entering the
humanities section. The man would spend many
nights there reading books about Greek and Norse
mythology, occasionally laughing so hard that it
echoed throughout the library. Michael noticed
that he could hear the mans stomach gurgling,
and occasionally the stranger would excuse
himself to walk the older part of the
library where they kept the film and
newspaper archives.
One day, as Michael was returning
old research magazines to their holders
in the archives, he heard the man laugh-
ing again, and this time a young woman
was screaming in fear. Michael hurried
up the metal steps of the archives and
peered down the hallway. What he saw
made little sense to him. A young woman
had passed out at a cubicle, and above her
stood the man, but he was no longer just
a human being. It was as if the space of the
library had stretched around him, and the
man appeared like a giant of legend, with one
great peering eye coming out from his forehead.
In that moment, Michael saw wisps of light
flow from the woman and into the giant, who
seemed to hungrily devour them. The giant,
not noticing that Michael had discovered him,
seemed to shrink back to his normal size and
left the library.
Michael called the campus police to
help the young woman, but he did not tell
her what had happened. She told him that
she had dreamed that a large man had pur-
sued her through a valley, and tore apart
everything around her with his hands
and pulled it into his mouth. This dream
struck a chord with Michael, and he set
out for his first hunt.
Michael set the trap well, giving a
young mathematician a cup of coffee
laced with a powerful sleeping pill. As the
giant once more made his move to feed,
Michael felt drawn to the giant, but he
did not feel helpless. He felt completely
in control of his actions, and with the
help of his old hunting knife that his
dad had given him, he was able to slit
the Beasts throat from behind before
the Beast knew he was there.
56 CHAPTER ONE: HEROES
As the Beasts aura began to fade, he looked at Michael
with frustration. It should not be this easy, the Beast tried to
get out while choking on his own blood. Before the Beast could
manifest in his larger form again Michael ended the creatures
life with another flick of his blade, killing the Beast, and
felt the rush going through him from the exhilaration
of killing his first monster.
Since then, Michaels devotion towards hunting
Beasts has become his lifes work. He does not feel the
same attraction to others that he feels towards Beasts;
in fact, he tried killing normal people, but found little
satisfaction in the act. He tried to lay a trap for a creature
described on one of the message boards he frequents,
but he found that he could not manifest the same desire
towards killing it as he had with the Anakim (he later
discovered that he knew the name all along.) He had
a very specialized fetish for killing, which frustrated
him when he could not meet it, but when he could,
he felt like he was invincible.
The problem with this is that he finds that if
he drifts too far, that if he becomes too obsessed
with hunting the Beasts, he is unable to pull
himself back in. He lost his job at the library
when he spent three weeks pursuing a Makara
in Aruba, and he almost lost his scholarship
when his academic advisor demanded to know
what was so important about spending as many
class credits as possible studying mythology and
anthropology when he was there on a medical
scholarship. Despite all of this, he graduated,
and has a job as a psychologist in a private
mental health clinic.
Michaels learning curve was severe,
and he always pushed himself to do bet-
ter. He had several close calls early on end-
ing in near misses with the police who looked
unkindly at murder. Of course, the alternative,
telling the police that he needed stockpiles of
ammunition and blades for fighting a dragon
in its Lair would end his career and see
him in jail. It was lonely for him at first,
but he slowly overcame his problems and
began to excel at what he does.
His primary method for dealing with Beasts is obser-
vation. He watches the Beast from a distance, and though
he feels his call slowly become an obsession in his mind,
he prefers to move at his own pace. He learns everything
he can about the Beast, from her favorite foods to what
kinds of victims she prefers. Michael hates surprises, and
his meticulous planning always contains room for a wide
number of wild cards that can come up as he hunts.
When he finally moves to strike at the
Beasts, he moves swiftly and brutally,
leaving no room for compassion or mercy
in his work. He tries to trap the Beast,
either in public or removed from her Lair. If forced to kill

STORY HOOKS
Something is disturbing the Primordial Dream. Vi-
sions of hunger are slowly showing a predator who
walks in the shape of a Hero. These visions show a
methodical stalker appearing on the horizon, and
following his prey from afar before striking to kill.
Though you just regard it as a dream, when you
describe the image of the stalker to your Brood you
learn that one of them has seen this man recently,
and wonders if he was following her
Someone destroyed a local Namtaru who was
known for trying to keep her Hunger in check.
Some Beasts even say that she had discovered a
new way to satiate her Hunger before she disap-
peared. The only information on what happened
to her is a mysterious note left behind in her Lair
saying Youre welcome.
A member of the Brood has been framed for mur-
der, and the police are actively hunting him. Sev-
eral other people in the city are also suffering from
a similar frame job, one of them a Hero named
Michael Bellinger. He offers a truce to the Brood
and to share what he knows about the police chief
responsible for the allegations, and wishes to meet
on neutral grounds. The Brood knows Bellingers
reputation, but they need his help, if they think they
can trust him.
his target inside her Lair, he always makes sure he knows how
to escape if he must. Once an Anakim surprised him inside
his Lair and used dragons breath on him. He has a nasty scar
on his shoulder from the incident that slightly impairs his
movement, and he would rather avoid getting into a similar
situation ever again.
He discovered that his preferred weapon is a kitchen
cleaver. It is a simple kitchen implement bought at a retail
outlet, but in his hands, it is lighter and strikes with the fury of
a thunderbolt against Beasts. It is the only weapon he refuses
to part with, as every other weapon he uses is generic cutlery
purchased from secondhand stores and mass retail chains.
For Michael, savoring the kill comes after a successful hunt.
He knows he cannot afford to stop after killing a Beast and observe
his kill, and he knows he cannot afford to take any trophies. The
only thing he dares leave behind with his victims are small generic
calling cards that say Youre welcome on them. The police have
picked up on the calling card at several brutal murders across many
different cities and have created a file on what they believe is a serial
murderer. So far, his low number of kills has kept Michael low on
the priority list for the FBI, but as he continues to kill more Beasts,
he becomes a greater priority for them.
Michael has not gone unnoticed by Beasts, though the
many Broods of the Dark Mother have not come to a consensus
on how to deal with him. On one hand, he is serving a valuable
part in his story by being the Hero the Primordial Dream needs
him to be. The Primordial Dream, in its unknowable wisdom,
has bestowed its gifts upon him and made him an effective
minion of destruction. What many Beasts find disturbing is
the strange nature of this Hero. Many Beasts recall tales in the
Primordial Dream that have brave heroes championing cities, or
overcoming overwhelming odds to save their families. Michael
is a brutal killer whose methods seem to suggest he is different
from other stories. One Ugallu scholar suggested that Michael
is the result of modern stories intruding upon the Primordial
Dream, where he is a version of the Great Hunter whose story is
as an obsessive killer. Surely, his methods are not that different
from a hunter. He observes his prey, and stalks them carefully
before striking and bringing them down.
When he is not stalking Beasts, he does his best to inte-
grate himself into the city without becoming too familiar to the
people there. He is a member of the country club and keeps a
regular tee time at the Forever Green Golf Society. He dates,
but never forms lasting relationships, and, by all accounts, he is
a respected member of his field and of his neighborhood. This
is as intentional as it is practical. He has cultivated numerous
aliases that he has relied upon over the years, and by maintain-
ing normal behaviors he is able to pursue Beasts into areas
that he might not normally be allowed. If he were pursuing an
Anakim who is a prominent local politician, then a respected
member of the medical community would not seem out of
place at a charity banquet.
Description
Michael is 5'11", and dresses to fit in wherever he is. He
intentionally keeps his hair buzzed short and wears a hair piece
so that he can change his identity when it suits him. Often, he
will wear a bulky winter coat or zip up hoodie to help him hide
his knives, and he meticulously grooms himself to try to keep
down any body odor. When keeping a low profile, he smokes
cigarillos and cheap cigarettes to keep a heavy tobacco stench
around him, but when stalking Beasts he makes sure he is clean
and his clothing does not contain the smell. His paranoia will
not let him venture out into the world if he thinks his appear-
ance will give him away. He wears flashy jewelry when he is
out in public but does not keep anything on his person that
could identify him.
His second most distinguishing feature that his coworkers
will tell you about is his frequent nose bleeds. Michael suffers
from a rare form of hypertension, and, at times, his nose bleeds
for no reason at all. He relies upon this illness to excuse himself
from others, using it as a means to get away from people he
does not want to be around as well as providing a convenient
excuse for allowing him to slip away.
Rumors
I had a run in with something that disturbed me to my core.
Im not saying that lightly, considering youve seen how I feed. I
found this man waiting for me in my Lair, and he looked as calm as
could be. Most Heroes look prepared for a fight, and some even have
that same fucking smug look on their faces. This guy is just standing
Michael Bellinger 57
 there like hes upset that Im late for an appointment. He very
quietly picks up this cleaver, which very quickly didnt feel like any
cleaver Ive ever felt, and fights me like Imlike Im fucking boring all ready to fucking kill this guy and he acts like we just had a first
him to do so! The worst part was the fact that I had to run for my
life, as I couldnt stop this fucker. Feels creepy as shit, and Im a
fucking creepy guy!
Michael is someone who imagines every scenario in his
head, and has already planned how things will go. He plans for
all contingencies, allowing him to seem unflappable in the face
of sudden changes in the situation, or mistakes. Unfortunately
for him, each confrontation never lives up to the majestic,
scripted fight he has planned out in his head, leading him grow
increasingly dissatisfied with his choice of prey as of late. A
Beast that does not put up a worthy fight will leave him feeling
impotent and will cause him to lose his lust for killing them.
Dr. Bellinger has saved my life, and I dont mean that in
a cheesy way. When I came to him, I had a stalker, and he was
hurting my life. He was always following me around, and I swear I
saw him in my dreams as this ravenous serpent that would poison
everything I held dear. I know, thats anthropomorphizing my own
fears on my stalker, but Dr. Bellinger didnt treat me like someone
who needed a lecture. He listened to me, and, more importantly, he
helped me. He told me he pulled some strings and he got the police
to take care of that asshole permanently. I was so happy that I think
I dreamed about Dr. Bellinger fighting the serpent, and though it
was a really bloody dream, it felt good to watch him hack that thing
to pieces. Hes my hero.
Although he excels at and feels gratification from kill-
ing Beasts in brutal, sadistic ways, Michael is at his heart a
humanitarian who cares deeply about his clients. Even those
who do not have problems relating to Beasts always get his full
and undivided attention when they come in to see him, and
he helps them as much as he can; hes even willing to come in
after hours to help in emergency situations (as long as they do
not interfere with his hunt.) Michael is using his practice to
gain information on Beasts, but if he can effect genuine good
in the world while also fulfilling his need for violence then he
will continue to do so.
I had the weirdest run in with a human in Natick. I was
separated from my pack and doing our weekly booze run when I
noticed I was being followed by this man in plain clothes. I didnt
know if he was being ridden by something or was serving those Pure
bastards but I thought Id turn the tables on him. I lured him into a
nearby cemetery and prepared to pounce on him when I discovered
that he had planned on me luring him there. He had hidden a high-
caliber rifle in one of the trash cans and was blowing holes in my
hide, all with this slow and steady precision like he wasnt surprised
at the massive wrecking machine that was now standing before him.
After a few minutes, he stops firing and just stares at me with his
creepy brown eyes, and he frowns and starts to pack up his rifle. I
58 CHAPTER ONE: HEROES
bellowed at him to finish the fight, and he just said, Im terribly
sorry, but you are not what I am looking for. How about that? I get
date! I was so fucking stunned that I stood around for 30 seconds
with my mouth open like an idiot. By the time I tried to find him he
had already got away!
Although Michael has instinctive knowledge of Beasts and
what he gains from being a Hero, his knowledge of the other
monsters of this world is not perfect. For the longest time he
assumed all monsters were Beasts, and that they simply came
in various flavors. While he is willing to kill anything in an
attempt to gain his next thrill, invariably killing someone
who is not a Beast holds no value to him. He often kills these
creatures so that they do not threaten mankind again, but he
feels overwhelming frustration when the woman he has been
pursuing turns out to be a simple, ordinary vampire and not a
Namtaru like he was hoping for.
Legend: Destroyer
Life: Trusted Advisor
Mental Attributes: Intelligence 3, Wits 4, Resolve 3
Physical Attributes: Strength 4 (6 vs. Beasts),
Dexterity 4, Stamina 3
Social Attributes: Presence 1, Manipulation 2,
Composure 3
Mental Skills: Academics (Psychology) 3, Computer 2,
Investigation (Shadowing) 3, Occult 2, Science 1
Physical Skills: Athletics 2, Brawl (Take Downs) 2,
Firearms 2, Larceny 2 Stealth 3, Survival 1, Weaponry
(Kitchen Implements) 4
Social Skills: Empathy 2, Expression 1, Intimidation
(Body Language) 3, Persuasion 1
Merits: Close Quarters Combat 3, Danger Sense,
Fast Reflexes 2, Patient, Resources 3, Trained Observer
Gifts: Chosen Blade, Kinslayer, Legendary Hunter,
Vanquishers Strength, Warriors Speed
Health: 8
Willpower: 6
Integrity: 4
Size: 5
Speed: 13 (25 vs. Beasts and supernatural creatures
with Family Ties)
Initiative: 8
Defense: 6
Armor: 1/0
Notes: Michaels Chosen Blade is a meat cleaver.
Damage: 2L, Initiative Modifier: -1, Size: 1
The Close Quarters Combat Merit is found on p. 63 of
the Chronicles of Darkness Rulebook.
 TEREZA MARKUSA
DEAD EYES
Show me your insides, monster. If you have what I want, you die. If not, I turn
you over to them. Trust me, death is better.
Background
Tereza spent her adolescent and teenage years getting into
fights, shoplifting, trying out as many drugs as possible, and
painting nihilistic wall murals wherever it was forbidden. She
attracted plenty of flunkies who tried to be just like her, but
never quite understood that she wasnt any kind of rebel. She
just couldnt find satisfaction. The world appeared dim and
dismal to her, promising nothing but asking too much, gray
and cold and filled with empty people. The human race seemed
doomed to labor mindlessly until it evaporated with the oceans
or blew itself to kingdom come. Nothing helped narcotics,
alcohol, danger, sex, violence: all disappointments. Was she
destined to succumb to the crush of society, after all? Was there
nothing to set her apart, nothing to inject life into existence?
When she hit her mid-twenties, her parents finally gave up
on gentle nudging and kicked her out, forcing her to fend for
herself. During her third visit to jail for theft and disturbing
the peace, she dreamed she painted a vast canvas with bright
colors. Splotches of black marred her painting and slowly
spread, making the canvas buckle and warp. For the first time,
she felt truly alive. She had to get rid of whatever was causing the
splotches and wake up the world she had a purpose, and the
uncanny energy to fulfill it. When she murdered the Beast who
acted as a warden at the correctional facility, the rush of power
overwhelmed her, like taking a breath after years of drowning.
The courts transferred Tereza to a high-security prison and she
despaired, craving another thrill and fearing a return to monotony.
To her surprise, a lawyer and a corporate suit came to see her,
asking questions about the creature: what it was, how she knew
it was there, how she managed to kill it. Then they offered her a
job doing it full time, complete with a clean slate. She took them
up on it before she even learned the name Cheiron Group, and
became an agent of the Field Projects Division in the blink of an
eye. At first, she was elated. Not only did they give her free rein
and the resources to hunt monsters to her hearts content as
long as she brought enough samples back but the bioengineers
promised to upgrade her body with the fruits of their research.
When she killed her first vampire, though, something
was wrong. It wasnt the same. No rush of power, no paint
dreams, no wakeup call. Then her supervisor told her she
wouldnt undergo the upgrades just yet, because the scientists
had found anomalies and needed to run more tests and why
hadnt she tracked down another monster in her dreams, by
the way? She went on a killing spree after that, murdering her
way through creature after creature to find one that would feel
like the first, and keeping her extracurricular activities a secret
from her employers. She feared they would terminate her, one
way or another, and couldnt risk losing her opportunity or
going back to jail.
It took months before another painting nightmare led to
another Beast, and she hid that from the company, too, choosing
to kill it and scratch her terrible itch rather than deliver it to the re-
searchers to study. Shes continued this pattern ever since, hunting
monsters in quantities much larger than her quota off the record,
hoping they wont find out that shes desperate for another hit of
true purpose, or that shes executing things they would definitely
want in the lab alive. Subtly, she tries to find answers to her ques-
tions. What makes those few different from the rest? Why does she
have strange powers without the surgery? Shed like to improve her
ability to track subjects, knowing it would make her more valuable
to the company and less likely to be eliminated, but she cant trust
any of her coworkers to help her figure it out. Shes on her own.
Description
Tereza is a methodical, brutal agent of a corporation that
gives her anything she needs: weapons, vehicles, money, and the
DEAD-EYES AND
THE CHERION
GROUP
Characters can investigate her background and find
dirt to use against her. The game she plays with her
employers is delicate and comes crumbling down if
someone tips them off that shes withholding valuable
assets from them and using their resources for her own
personal crusade. On the other hand, if she discovers
the truth about her relationship with Beasts and ways
to track them down more effectively, that leverage
means nothing to Cheiron in the face of such an MVP.
The company already wants to take her apart and see
why shes so special; if they catch on that shes grow-
ing in power as she hunts, theyll want her right where
she is for as long as possible.
Tereza Markusa 59
 results of advanced scientific research into the supernatural. She
feels like a sellout, disgusted at becoming a corporate drone,
but doesnt dare quit or do anything that would give them rea-
son to fire her. Most of the time, shes aloof and disinterested,
finding no joy in work or play. She mows down her prey
with indiscriminate violence; if its not human, she
captures or eliminates it. Each kill brings a faint
surge of anticipation that she squashes, not
wanting to get her hopes up yet again, only to
be disappointed.
Monsters that arent Beasts exist only as targets or
sources of information. Interrogations at Terezas hands
are terse and painful, and she only cares about an-
swers that pertain to the Primordial Dream, Heroes,
or Beasts (not that she knows those terms). If they
have no answers, she turns them over to Cheiron
and forgets them. When she does find a Beast,
her whole demeanor changes. She becomes
a ravenous hawk poised for the dive, eager
almost to the point of zeal. She interrogates
Beasts too, as theyre the most likely to have
what she needs, but its hard for her to keep
from taking the kill as soon as its available.
Tereza is tall and slim, with pale white
skin and dark hair cropped short. On the job,
she dresses entirely in black, in a suit and tie
with specialized Cheiron-built armor underneath,
and she views her professional wardrobe as an ironic
reflection of the splotches on her paintings. She rides
a motorcycle with impressive bells and whistles, courtesy
of the company. At home, she defies the gray veneer she
perceives over the world, wearing bold colors and funky
styles. She still seeks thrills and pleasures in mundane pas-
times out of habit, though inevitably theyre letdowns, paling
in comparison to what she really craves.
She doesnt go off duty often, but when she manages to
distract herself from her obsession, shes an artist and a trendset-
ter. She paints murals and street art, attends underground parties
in clothes of her own design, and dances with strangers. Shes in
love with the subversive, but cant connect with anyone in more
than a cursory fashion, drifting from club to protest to skate park,
and influencing without ever being influenced.
Rumors
Im told she dropped the werewolf like she was making break-
fast, and when she went after his brood, she was like a rabid animal.
They barely got out of there; she could run faster than her bike and she
had a dozen soldiers with her. Watch your back. Shes got it out for
us, and shes not alone.
Rumors like this one circulate among the Beasts and other
supernatural creatures in any area where Tereza is active. She
doesnt usually tip her hand until she pins down one of the
Children, but if he gets away, word spreads
quickly that shes on the prowl and doesnt
seem to be an ordinary hunter, even if she
60 CHAPTER ONE: HEROES
does have the kind of backup expected of them. This rumor is a
bit of an exaggeration; shes much faster against Beasts and their
kin than other foes, but shes still swifter on her motorcycle than
on foot for pure movement, and the company usually sends cells
of four or five along with her, not a dozen. Characters investi-
gating the incident can put the pieces together to identify
the Cheiron Groups equipment or tactics backing up
this Hero.
Who, Dead-Eyes Markusa? Man, have you ever been out
on a hunt with her? Shes crazy. I heard from Jamaal she takes
on targets by herself, no implants, no nothing. She never smiles,
never gets angry, and never even blinks. I bet she pisses ice water.
Jamaal thinks they took out her soul when they recruited her.
Dead-Eyes is the nickname Terezas coworkers
adopted for her. Most hunters are jaded to some
extent, but her listless indifference takes even these
worldly corporate killers aback. Anyone over-
hearing such a conversation between Cheiron
employees, including other hunters, could fol-
low up with them or Jamaal to verify the truth
of these claims. He can investigate why she has
no implants and how she fights without them;
the few executives and doctors who know shes
unaltered by any Thaumatechnology keep
it hush-hush. He can take the rumor as a
challenge to get a rise out of the ice queen,
or as the impetus to learn more about the
organization she belongs to. This rumor
is somewhat true; Tereza does prefer to
work alone when possible, and shows
little investment in any job that doesnt
involve a Beast. She often instructs the
hunters with her to hang back while she fights
until things take a turn for the worse, and shes
won enough of those fights to generate awe
and jealousy among her colleagues. The rest,
however, is pure hearsay.
Shes really here? Youre kidding! I have to
see her again. You should have seen the way she
moved, how she lit up the floorthe whole place
worshipped her, but she never said a word until
that guy tried to grab her ass. She wrestled him
down, broke his arm, and beat the crap out of three
of his buddies. This time, Ill find out her name.
Whenever Tereza goes out on the town,
people talk. They notice her. They want her.
They want to be her. If she stays in one place long
enough, people report sightings to each other,
trying to pin her down and unwrap all her mys-
teries. Beasts and other creatures or hunters can
try tracking her via these rumor mills in person
and on social media to find her while shes out
among the regular folks. This rumor
is 100% true.
Legend: Addict
Life: Visionary
Mental Attributes: Intelligence 3, Wits 4, Resolve 2
Physical Attributes: Strength 2, Dexterity 3 (5 vs.
Beasts), Stamina 3
Social Attributes: Presence 4, Manipulation 2,
Composure 3
Mental Skills: Computer 1, Crafts 3, Investigation 2,
Occult 1
Physical Skills: Athletics 4, Brawl (Grappling) 4, Drive 3,
Firearms 2, Larceny 3, Stealth 1
Social Skills: Expression (Painting) 4, Intimidation
(Interrogation) 3, Persuasion 1, Socialize 1, Streetwise 2,
Subterfuge 3
Merits: Anonymity 2, Barfly, Crack Driver 2, Fast
Reflexes 1, Inspiring, Multilingual (Latvian, Russian),
Resources 2, Status (Cheiron Group) 2, Street Fighting 5
Gifts: Kinslayer, Warriors Speed 2
Health: 8
Willpower: 5
Integrity: 3
Size: 5
Speed: 10 (25 vs. Beasts and supernatural creatures
with Family Ties)
Initiative: 7
Defense: 7 (9 vs. Beasts and supernatural creatures
with Family Ties)
Armor: 2/3
Notes: Tereza has access to a variety of equipment,
training, and resources specifically for dealing with the
supernatural, thanks to the Cheiron Groups backing.
She wants to hunt Beasts primarily, but to stay employed
she must be a competent hunter of other creatures as
well and must be able to take them in alive, so the
Storyteller should feel free to supply her with anything
that gives her an advantage on such missions.
The Crack Driver and Street Fighting Merits appear
on p. 47 and p. 65 of the Chronicles of Darkness
Rulebook, respectively.
STORY HOOKS
The characters stumble upon evidence that some-
one working for the Cheiron Group has launched
a secret investigation into Terezas secrets. Further
poking around reveals who she works for and, if
the characters didnt already know, that shes a
Hero with ties to the Primordial Dream. They have
the opportunity to aid the investigator and poten-
tially shut down an enemy, but in doing so theyd
be helping an organization that dedicates itself to
hunting monsters down and harvesting their pow-
ers. They can see that the investigation is on the
wrong track, though, and left unchecked, Tereza
forces a confrontation with the characters one way
or another even if no Beast lives among them.
Terezas hunters harry a local coterie of vampires
to the point of desperation. The vampires find out
somehow that the Hero in charge of the hunter
cell is after Beasts and will do anything to get
her hands on them. They decide to give her what
she wants, luring the brood with promises of an
alliance and then betraying it in an ambush de-
signed to turn them over to Dead-Eyes Markusa in
exchange for leaving the vampires alone.
Tereza has found an ally in seeking answers: a
mage from the local Consilium. Together, they
delve into the Heros dreams to solve the Mystery
of her connection to the Children. With the help
of magic, Terezas close to working it out, but the
mages brute force interference has disturbed the
local hive. Any Beasts in the area notice some-
things not right and can try to trace the distur-
bance back to the pair. Can they make a friend
of the mage before Tereza becomes even more
dangerous? Or will they end up inadvertently
helping the investigation out by getting involved?
Tereza Markusa 61
 He moved through the crowded streets like a shark through a school of fish. Only
vaguely aware of what they did, the people parted before him, hoping not to attract
his attention. Hoping not to be prey.
One person did not waver. A woman in sunglasses and a black wool coat walked
carefully behind him. She tried to stay hidden, but hed danced this dance before.
He kept his eye on her, tracking her shadow when it crossed his, watching her
reflection in car windows.
She didnt walk like someone with knives hidden under her coat, nor would
she risk a gun with so many innocents about. A garrotte, he decided. She was
waiting for him to wander alone into a parking garage or elevator, and then
shed strangle him.
Part of him wanted to draw this out, a cat and mouse game in which
they each played both roles, but this charade between them had gone
on long enough. They were, he suspected, both ready to end it. Ever
the obliging prey, he turned down a side street, then an alley.
She followed, edging closer as the crowds of people slowly
thinned out, until no witnesses remained and she stood just
outside arms reach. He pulled an expensive phone out of his
pocket, pretended to check his messages while he watched
her in the screens reflection. From under her coat, she
drewa stiletto?
Hed misjudged her. Not the worst mistake he could
have made. She might be wary of guns, but he had no such
compunctions. Dreaming of the headline, Volunteer
Firefighter Defeats Serial Killer, he drew his own gun
and turned quickly around, ready to fire.
He growled in frustration. Shed vanished! Can things like her turn
invisible? he wondered. Hed never heard of that talent before. He had half
a moment to ponder the question, though, before he felt something sharp
and painful pierce his throat from behind.
He tried to scream, but only blood gurgled out.
No. It cant end like this!
He fell to his knees, feeling another stab to his lungs, and then
to his kidney. One good shove, and he fell to the asphalt.
She loomed over him, smiling. Hed seen that smile before; she smiled
like that every time she tore into yet another helpless victim.
No. My destiny is to stop her! Not to die like this.
Raising a trembling hand, he tried to aim, but she knocked his gun
away with a laugh.
As his life pooled on the dirty asphalt beneath him, he saw her trans-
form. Her hair grew longer, twisting and forming into vipers which hissed
and spat venom as scales spread across her mottled skin. The air crackled
with energy as great brass-colored wings sprouted from her back.
Hed never seen her change quite like this. Never so much power.
Somehow, he realized with his last dying thought, hed made it possible.
 The Begotten struggle frequently against Heroes:mortals imbued with the power and drive to hunt down
Beasts. Less frequently, Beasts may come into conflict with their own kind (a situation no Beast wants unless
its the absolute final option). Beasts have no firmer nor more elaborate structure than those they can form
using Family Ties; the Children of the Dark Mother are free of obligations incurred through
clan, tribe, or court. While this grants them a greater degree of freedom than most other
supernatural creatures enjoy, such freedom comes with a cost.
Some Beasts fall to their Horror and become the Beast Rampant, while others
make a last-ditch attempt at survival and become Unfettered. Some
Beasts plunge headlong into a union with their Horror and be-
come the Beast Incarnate. Whichever path these Begotten take,
the end result of claiming an Inheritance is often remarkably
similar:an extremely powerful creature devoid of all moral or
ethical sensibility. For the majority of Beasts, this is a condition to
aspire to, the end result of being what they are.
Those Beasts who have not yet attained an Inheritance,
then, frequently find themselves assuming responsibility for
their kin who have. Given the deep respect Beasts maintain
for those who have achieved an Inheritance, putting down
an Incarnate or Rampant spinning out of control is done only
as a last resort and only when all other options have been exhausted. Others,
It was written I should of course, may have a very different opinion. At such times, vampires, were-
wolves, changelings, mages, and even hunters may come together to bring down
be loyal to the nightmare a particularly dangerous and overwhelming foe (not to mention Sin Eaters or
of my choice.. Prometheans, who both have a vested interest in securing territories against external
Joseph Conrad, threats). Even if a Beast wishes to be the one to deliver the final mercy on her own,
Heart of Darkness she may sometimes find herself out of her depth when dealing with an Unfettered,
Rampant, or Incarnate. Then she calls upon her friends out of necessity.
The Beasts in this chapter are the worst of the worst; devoid of empathy or
humanity, their Horrors run the show now. While these antagonists are most suit-
able for a Beast-centric chronicle, some of their excesses may be so extreme as to
attract more attention. Most supernatural societies, after all, have a vested interest
in removing agents of chaos from their midst.

64
 LUCA ROHNER
THE CORPORATE RAVISHER
The fact is, your firm simply has not been performing to the standards set at
acquisition. Let your personnel know we begin liquidating assets tomorrow.

Background In college, Luca finally realized his full potential. He

attended Oxford almost as a formality, a necessary step to
As the only son of wealthy Swiss bankers, no is not a word eventually taking over his parents lucrative investment firm.
Luca Rohner grew up hearing. From infancy onwards, Luca was Free from the pretense of supervision, Luca (and the Sorrowful
coddled and catered to. His parents, both too busy with their Dancer) pursued every sort of indulgence imaginable. His
own careers to pay much attention to their son, preferred to constant feeding, and the terror it brought others, did not go
pay others to do the work of raising him. Luca was raised by a unnoticed, and Luca eventually attracted the attention of an
small army of nannies, tutors, and assorted servants who were equally powerful Hero.
more interested in keeping the Rohners content than ensur-
Dennis Brand had already put an end to three Begotten by
ing Luca grew up to be a functional, empathetic adult. When
the time Luca crossed his path. From the moment they met, the
Lucas caretakers tried to speak to his parents about some of his
two men realized their destinies were irrevocably intertwined.
more antisocial tendencies, his mother and father preferred to
While Dennis employed his Gifts, Luca polished his own tactics.
make excuses for their son. He was too clever, too ambitious,
too assertive not a bully or narcissist. For two years, as Luca completed his degree, he and Dennis
played an intricate game of cat and mouse. Luca attacked
Luca did struggle at times with the sense of social isolation
Dennis family and livelihood, using his considerable con-
that plagues most Beasts in their childhood. He alleviated his
nections in finance to distract Dennis from the hunt. Dennis
angst by virtue of the fact that most of the people he spent his
stalked Luca, growing increasingly desperate to find a situa-
time with were paid to pay attention to him. The semblance of
tion where Luca was vulnerable to attack. Luca was too clever,
companions was generally enough to satisfy Lucas social desires
though, and Dennis never found an opportunity.
though they ensured the boy never learned how to relate
to others as equals, only as servants, or later in his life, prey. Their conflict came to a head one New Years Eve. Luca
planned a lavish party, and quietly let Dennis sneak in without
Cruelty, as a result, has always come naturally to Luca. His
an invitation. The men confronted each other on the roof;
spirit shone like a beacon in the Primordial Dream, attracting
Dennis thought he was ambushing Luca, while instead he
a Horror so ancient it had earned a name. The Sorrowful
walked headlong into Lucas trap.
Dancer thrived for centuries, gaining strength by crushing hope
and stripping away the happiness of its victims. Luca drew the Dennis came prepared for physical combat. He didnt
Dancer like a moth drawn to a flame. expect Lucas mind games, nor the traps Luca had carefully
laid out beforehand. Luca kept baiting the Hero, wearing down
Luca underwent his Devouring early in life, barely an
Dennis confidence by luring him into these traps. Dennis got
adolescent when the Dancer came to him. For Luca, the choice
in a few lucky shots, but not enough to turn the battle in his
wasnt even a choice of course, he wanted more power, the
favor. The Hero eventually realized Luca was merely toying with
ability to terrify and control. He became an Eshmaki, one who
him, but by then it was too late for him. Despite the injuries
fed on Ruin.
Dennis inflicted, Luca quickly gained the advantage.
His first victims were the same tutors and servants hed
The night ended with Dennis dead and Luca becoming
grown up thinking of as his companions. Luca realized his most
a Beast Incarnate. Absolutely no one and nothing could stop
satisfying meals came as the result of a long, protracted torment.
him now. Luca graduated soon afterward, and returned home
He enjoyed gradually breaking down his victims, watching them
to Switzerland where he quickly built up his Myth. Now, the
slowly lose control of themselves and their lives as he toyed with
high finance and business communities fear Luca as a corporate
them. Though he encountered some other Beasts who tried to
raider; a ruthless CEO who destroys companies, ruins firms,
convey the cultural importance of using his feeding to teach
and yet somehow always manages to turn a ridiculous profit at
important lessons, such sentiments never sunk in for Luca. He
the end of each quarter.
could not have cared less about fear as a teaching tool; he was
too busy reveling in the tears of his victims to pay any mind to Luca takes utter delight in ruining lives, and he uses his
their spiritual development. substantial power in the business and finance sectors to do
so. Though few outside his rarefied circles have ever heard

The Corporate Ravisher 65

 of Luca Rohner, the people who have speak of him with fear
and in hushed tones. They may not be consciously aware of
what hes capable of, but they know a monster when they cross
paths with one.
One of Lucas favorite tactics is to find well-performing,
mid-size firms with solid bottom lines and thriving
corporate cultures. Hell buy a firm out, then insti-
tute a long list of changes, ostensibly to maximize
efficiency and profit. These changes, however, have
nearly the opposite effect. Luca gleefully runs the
firm into the ground, destroying profitability and
morale alike while blaming the firms managers
for failing to live up to his expectations. The sordid
business usually ends in late November, when he lets
everyone go abruptly, just a few weeks before
Christmas. As he enjoys the thrill of destroying
families as well as careers, Luca prefers doing
this to family-owned businesses. Nothing is
quite as sweet to him as watching college funds
and retirement accounts evaporate as the former
owners try desperately to please Luca and fulfill
their impossible obligations to him.
Interns are another favorite target of Lucas.
Every year, he brings in a new crop of bright young
financial wizards:MBAs eager for a chance to
prove themselves and secure a spot at Lucas
firm. The application process is grueling, and
the winning interns walk in expecting to put in
14 hours a day, six days a week at minimum, for
a full year. At the end of this year, the remaining
interns are guaranteed a cushy job which secures
their financial future. As a result, the interns are
willing to put up with all manner of abuse for
their chance at the brass ring.
Without fail, Luca chooses one or two fa-
vorites, usually the best and brightest among the
interns. Thrilled that Luca singled them out for
individual mentorship, these interns invariably see
all their dreams crumble, and eventually regret the
day they heard of Luca Rohner.
Luca systematically isolates his chosen prey from
their family, demanding longer hours and higher produc-
tivity. He does extensive background research on his targets,
then engineers a myriad of personal crises a work emergency
at the same time grandma takes a turn for the worse in hos-
pice, a mandatory trip during an anniversary or wedding, an
eviction happening at the same time an important project is
due, and similar impossible quandaries. While this continues,
Luca slowly wears down his victims sense of self-worth with
carefully chosen barbs and backhanded compliments.
When the year is up, the targeted intern doesnt even be-
come a permanent hire. More than a few interns have ended
up in a care facility or even committed suicide once Luca
has finished with them, which only feeds Luca more.
He takes special delight in attending these funerals
and comforting the surviving loved ones.
66 CHAPTER TWO: BEASTS
The challenge in taking on Luca is that everything he does
is perfectly legal. He moves through the world without fear that
anyone could ever stop him, because no one can. Lucas the sort
of man who requires the coordination of several government
agencies to take down. As the Beast Incarnate, he wont even
attract the attention of Heroes.
Description
Lucas medium stature and unremarkable brown
hair make him seem, at first glance, as someone who
might be overlooked in a crowd. How he carries him-
self is what draws attention. His clothes go far past
designer label and into the realm of
custom-tailored. Even his blue jeans are
hand sewn; Luca likes owning things
no one else could possibly obtain. He
wears little jewelry beyond watches
and cufflinks, though he does enjoy
wearing expensive cologne.
Luca has never once met a
person he considers to be his
superior, or even his equal. He
is condescending and arrogant
as a matter of course, and does
not know how to be polite, even
if he wanted to. Other peoples
problems dont bother him, and
he doesnt understand why he
should pretend to care. People toler-
ate Luca only because his money
forces them to.
Luca has never had a serious
girlfriend, only a rotating cast of
women, aged 19 to 22, whom he
cycles through constantly. He always has
a beautiful woman on his arm at public
events, a debutante or nave heiress hes
showered with money and presents, who soon
vanishes and is replaced by another almost as
quickly as she arrived. He feels no lack in his
life for never having fallen in love. Sex and
romance are just more power games, and he
plays them with bored disinterest.
When it comes to other supernatural
communities, Luca cares only to the extent
that they are of benefit to him. He has
dealt equitably with the Invictus from time
to time, though he has little patience for
feral puppies or broken trauma-fairies,
as he calls werewolves and changelings. He
sees other Beasts as weak and therefore be-
neath his notice. Should he ever encounter
another Beast Incarnate, however, he
is immediately territorial and hostile.
Luca is undoubtedly the Apex of
Zurich, and his Lair extends throughout

STORY HOOKS
A close friend, ally, or family member (perhaps
even a Retainer) of one of the characters has
succeeded in becoming part of Lucas new crop
of interns. Initially, this appears to be good news
the character will eventually benefit from the
interns success. However, the characters ap-
parent good fortune quickly becomes anything
but. The intern, chosen for special attention by
Luca, begins to slowly unravel. Even the support
of the interns associates isnt enough to stave off
the pressures of working for Luca. Depending on
how close the intern is with the characters, Luca
may even end up attacking their Merits in an
attempt to disrupt the interns life. The characters
(and the intern) eventually realize Luca is more
than just a horrible boss and must come up with
a way to stop him and save their friend. As Luca
is a Ravager, he wont simply relinquish his hold
on the intern, he must destroy his prey in order to
successfully feed.
A member of the global business community
wants to meet with the characters. Johann Strau-
berg is part of a small cabal of business and
government leaders who, sick of the chaos Luca
is wreaking across international markets, have
decided to put an end to his corporate existence.
However, Luca outmaneuvers them at every turn,
able to retaliate in unexpected ways. Now the
members of the cabal are under some kind of
sustained attack unable to sleep or function
during the day. Johann, slowly realizing that Luca
is somehow more than human, has put out clumsy
feelers to members of the supernatural commu-
nity. Johann isnt quite sure what Luca is, but can
promise access to a wide array of Merits (includ-
ing high-level Professional Training in certain
fields) in exchange for the characters assistance
in dealing with Luca.
As Apex of Zurich, its only fitting that Luca
receive an invitation to the Yule Ball, a lavish
gala hosted every December 21st by the Invictus
Prince of the city. The Prince has extended his
invitation to anyone Luca cares to bring. Luca,
knowing the importance of making a good
impression, wants an entourage for the event.
He hires the characters as his attendants for the
evening. What Luca doesnt know is that another
Kindred, the local Hierophant of the Circle of the
Crone, understands what it means to be an Apex
and is intent on displacing Luca and assuming
that role for herself. Lucas arrival is the end result
of a year of her machinations, and shes deter-
mined to assassinate him before the sun comes
up. Now it falls to the characters to protect their
charge against a coterie of vicious, determined
vampires and their allies.
the city. Little of significance happens in the city of which he is
not aware, both on a supernatural and a mundane level. His hold
over the city is so strong that the residents have begun to absorb
Lucas toxic ideas, even if they may not realize it. Businesses are
copying Lucas strategies and people are conducting their personal
relationships the way he does. As a result, a shadow has fallen
over the city that few are aware of, much less able to drive away.
Rumors
Sure, hes killed at least one or two people. Thats part of
becoming the Beast Incarnate; someone has to die. Thats not
what Im talking about, though. The mans a serial killer, even if
he doesnt hold the knife. The police are so far deep in his pocket
though; theyll never do anything about him.
Luca is a Ravager, not a murderer. Hes definitely responsible
for the death of Dennis, along with a few victims he unintention-
ally killed shortly after his Devouring while learning how to hunt
and feed properly. But those few lives are the only ones hes had a
direct hand in taking. Indirectly however, Lucas been responsible
for contributing to several suicides, nervous breakdowns, and
slow slides into addiction and self-destruction. While he may be
ethically culpable for these deaths, Luca himself bears no legal
responsibility. But even if evidence of his early kills surfaced, the
rumor is correct that Luca has so many friends in high places,
hed never see the inside of a jail cell, or even a courtroom.
If you feel anything for Luca, feel pity. Dont fear him, and
dont admire him. From the outside, yes, his life looks fantastic. Hes
ridiculously wealthy and has the respect of his whole industry. Take
a closer look, though. He doesnt spend any significant time with
anyone hes not paying. No family, no friends. Thats a sad state of
affairs for anyone, but if you know anything about what Luca really
is, you know how his kind value friendship and family. And Luca
doesnt have any of that. Must make for a pretty lonely life. Maybe
thats why hes so cruel all the time.
As a Beast Incarnate, he still feels the Begottens core im-
pulse towards family and acceptance. He simply doesnt have
the social skills necessary to form a lasting, valid friendship
with anyone. Instead, Luca surrounds himself with underlings,
advisers, and servants hes convinced himself are his friends
and allies. These people eventually leave when Lucas cruelty
is no longer worth the ridiculously high salary he pays. Then,
Luca puts out another advertisement and hires another friend.
I heard that theres a team of Heroes that have banded together
to hunt down Luca. Its a bad business, hes likely to bring heat on
all of us with that kind of firepower all looking for just one Beast.
While it is likely a Hero could be looking into Lucas
activities, that isnt whats going on. The team is a consortium
of regular mortals businessmen, financiers, and government
agents who realize that, though Luca operates purely within
the bounds of the law, his unethical businesses practices are
having a deleterious effect on the corporate community as a
whole. They are completely unprepared for Lucas nature as
a supernatural creature of incredible power. While passing
new laws and enforcing new policies might work for a mor-
tal, Luca has so far been able to easily thwart their plans. Its
only a matter of time before a member of the team eventually
realizes what Luca is, and begins clumsy overtures to the super-
natural community.
The Corporate Ravisher 67
 Myth:Heartless Corporate Leader
Family:Ugallu
Hunger:Ravager
Mental Attributes:Intelligence 5, Wits 4, Resolve 3
Physical Attributes:Strength 3, Dexterity 2, Stamina 4
Social Attributes:Presence 3, Manipulation 5,
Composure 3
Mental Skills:Academics (Corporate Law) 5,
Computer 2, Investigation (Background Checks) 4,
Occult 1
Physical Skills:Athletics 1, Larceny 3
Social Skills:Empathy 1, Intimidation (Veiled Threats) 5,
Persuasion 3, Socialize 2
Merits:Allies (Banking) 3, Allies (Legal) 5, Allies
(Police) 3, Contacts (Business), Contacts (Journalists),
Contacts (Government), Fame (Finance) 1, Fame
(Corporate Ravager) 1, Resources 5, Status (Corporate
World) 5
Atavisms:Eye of Heaven, Mimirs Wisdom, Relentless
Hunter, Unbreakable
Nightmares:Behold, My True Form!, Everything You
JAMES BERNARD
CRU
Everyones afraid of something. Let me remind you what thats like.
Background
Life had never been hard, exactly, but life was so stressful.
James Bernard felt it ever since he was a child, the pressure to
perform, to achieve. He was an only child with strict parents and
a regimented schedule of school, tutoring, innumerable sports
practices, and other extracurricular activities. Judged by grades,
trophies, and medals, the standard of excellence came easily to
him for many years. A smart boy, school was never a problem
for James. He showed an early aptitude for the athleticism his
father prized, took easily to rules and manners, and rarely spoke
out against his parents. He was, by all appearances, a good boy.
If he fried some ants with a magnifying glass in the backyard
when he was allowed some time to play, wasnt it just the nature
of little boys? They all caught frogs and lizards, and poked and
prodded them until they were bored or the poor animal escaped.
The magnifying glass trick was a popular one, right along with
pulling the wings off flies. Boys will be boys, as they say, and
James heard it many times from his father, often accompanied
with a hearty clap to his shoulder.
68 CHAPTER TWO: BEASTS
Do Is Worthless, Fear Is Contagious, Run Away, They
Are All Around You, You Are Alone, You Must Obey
Lair:8 (Exposed, Maze, Mirages, Sealed Exits, Slick)
Health:9
Willpower:6
Satiety:4
Size:5
Speed:10
Initiative:5
Defense:3
Armor:2/2
Beast Shapes:Flight, Legendary Size, Terrible Mien,
Uncanny Speed
Notes:Luca abhors physical combat, even preferring
weight training and cardio routines as his daily workouts
over martial arts. He wont start anything, though hell
happily finish a fight someone else wants to pick. After
which, hell target their loved ones and see their busi-
nesses fail, their insurance policies get revoked, and
their retirement funds vanish.
When high school began and the intensity rose to levels he
had never experienced before, things started to unravel. A sud-
den drop in grades, a second-string placement on the schools
football team; the boy with everything was floundering in his
new environment, after being at the very top of things just the
year before. The friends he had made found others to spend
time with, the classes that had been so easy were replaced with
more difficult subjects, and college was looming in the future.
These four years, after all, would be how he would prepare, and
he needed his perfect transcript.
He arrived home trembling the day his received his ini-
tial progress report, halfway through his freshman semester.
There would be no saving grace when he got home. Nothing
about how things had gone would be acceptable to his parents.
He flirted briefly with the idea of running away before
dismissing it, deciding it would only make things worse when
he finally returned.
After hesitating only a brief moment outside on the porch,
he entered, hanging his backpack near the door as always and
shrugging out of his coat. The tension mounted as he waited
to hear his name thundering through the house. Yet, there before dawn, waiting for an oblivious animal to come by, and
was no roar from his father, and he cautiously stepped forward firing an arrow or a bullet to strike it down. Then his dreams
into the kitchen. His father sat there, looking over the dreaded changed to larger animals, ones that could fight back. He dreamt
piece of yellow paper, his face tight in a frown, but instead of of stalking wolves and mountain lions, pouncing with nothing
expressing his disapproval, he just looked up and shrugged. more than a knife, locked in struggles with them for
James remained frozen, but his father offered no tense, brief minutes, his strength against theirs, until
explosion, no anger, not even punishment; the he slayed the beast and stood victorious.
he instead requested James try harder, It only began to trouble him when the animals
and not make plans with started to win. Once a month, then once a week,
friends that weekend. then every night, he would feel his life-
Confused by this reac- blood draining from a critical wound,
tion and assuming he was some predator roaring its victory above
grounded, James retreated him and tearing him apart bit by bit.
to his room, eyeing the Waking up in a cold sweat, gasping
tank on the top of his dress- back to life, he would sit trembling
er. In it was a brilliantly in the dark, unable to sleep any more
green snake, curled up on a that night. With this shift in his
branch for now. After a mo- dreams, his life began to slide
ment of staring, he crossed to backward yet again, his temper
his closet, lifted the hatch on a growing with his inability to fix the
smaller cage and took out two mounting problems in his waking
white mice. These he dropped world. It wasnt terrible at first:
into the snakes tank, and sat some unnecessarily aggressive
watching until it had eaten plays in football practice, a few
them both. pillows hurled at a wall (and
W h e n t h e we e ke n d the lamp once, but he knew
came, James father woke his fathers rage had broken
him Saturday morning, and worse), but it quickly progressed
offered little explanation be- to fights at school. He would find
yond ordering him up and one of his old friends and stalk
dressed. Before long, they were on them as he had been taught to do while hunt-
the road, and his father finally ex- ing, until he could corner them and unleash his
plained. They were going hunting, rage and frustration.
a good way for someone who was Everything felt so much better
stressed to blow off some steam. It after that, and the dreams began to
was time, he said, that he taught turn in his favor, but it never lasted
James how to go about it. very long, and he would have to find
By the end of the day, they someone new to ease the tension.
returned with a deer in the Facing the threat of expul-
trunk, and James watched his sion after too many incidents,
father gut, clean, and butcher he was sulking alone his room
it. He had known his father went and staring at the snake slum-
hunting, but now he truly be- bering in its cage. He turned
gan to understand. Preparing, again to feed it, down to his
waiting, stalking; it all made so last few mice; after this, he
much sense. It felt right. For the would have a week or two
first time in a while, he remem- to get more. Reaching in, he
bered enjoying himself. grabbed one, tossing it uncer-
They continued to hunt out emoniously in with the boa.
the rest of the season together, and The other evaded him, run-
for James, things began to make sense ning to the far corners of the
again. New friends eased his anxiety, and adjusting to cage as he tried to grab for it, and
the workload took just a little more time. Every night, bit his fingers as he finally seized
he dreamed of hunting, his new hobby that had turned it, deep enough to draw blood.
things around. The scenes always started out simply, play- The pain that lanced through
ing out just as his father taught him:climbing into a stand his hand broke the control he had left.

cru 69
 Rather than fling it across the room, he popped the little mouse
into his mouth whole and crunched down, feeling the bones crack
beneath his teeth and the hot blood squirt over his tongue. Again,
everything felt better after he finished chewing it up, and with the
relief came a wave of exhaustion. He dreamed of hunting again
that night, stalking along the undergrowth of a warm jungle, his
keen senses pricked for anything out there with him. It wasnt
long before a panther passed his way, and the chase was on.
He always loved the dreams, at least when they ended
well. The body of a predator felt natural to him, his well-toned
muscles coiled for action even when relaxed, jaws and paws
bearing fangs and claws instead of teeth and nails. Hunting,
even in his dreams, took patience, precision, and planning. The
panther looked to also be on the hunt as he stalked behind it,
moving soundlessly and effortlessly across the overgrown forest
floor. After a moment or two, the air thrummed with a soft,
heavy tone as it growled. He watched the big cat tense, its ears
flattened back to its skull as it sniffed the air and searched for
the source of the sound. He waited, watching it zero in, and
let out a roar when their eyes locked. As it turned to leap away,
he pounced, missing by inches, and raced after it as it tried to
get away. The pursuit was always one of his favorite parts of
the hunt, feeling the trees fly by as he pelted forward, his heart
pounding a drum beat in his chest. With another vicious growl,
he threw himself forward as the panther leaped to scale a tree,
and was rewarded with a deep bite into its thigh. Dragging the
cat down again, he dodged a swipe of its paw and returned it
with one of his own, pressing his advantage as it went sprawling
across the ground. Before giving it the opportunity to catch its
footing again, he darted forward. This time his teeth sank into
its throat, and with a triumphant growl, he tore it wide open,
standing victorious over the bleeding creature. All was right in
the world at that moment; he felt it somehow crystallize and
become real. This was no dream; this was exactly what he was,
and what he was always meant to be. The stalker in the dark, the
ruthless predator. It was so much simpler than everything else.
Reluctant Hunter
When waking did little to banish this sensation, he grew
concerned. He knew something was different, he could feel
the Horror that was part of him now, but as much as it had
thrilled him the previous night, it made him sick and uneasy
when he considered it now. It was all he could do to push it to
the back of his mind and try to ignore the creature he refused
to recognize as part of himself.
It worked for a little while, until the nightmares started and
people in houses as far as blocks away would wake up scream-
ing. Hunting helped, but barely. It was too impersonal for his
Horror to shoot something from a faraway stand. Eventually,
he compromised by wounding his prey from afar, following it
as it fled, and finishing the animal off himself. That worked
far better than ignorance and denial, and he thought he had
found the perfect solution. Throughout the rest of high school
and college, he subsisted on hunting down animals, keeping his
Horrors hunger just barely at bay for fear of how it would lash
out. It still happened on occasion, and he could see the way
people reacted when it came forward, too powerful for him to
70 CHAPTER TWO: BEASTS
keep back, but the killing was still just animals, and never mind
as the Lair his Horror occupied expanded, bit by bit. He was
loath to visit it there, after his Devouring, only joining with it
on rare occasions when he felt there was no other way to get out
of a tough spot. As best as he could, he kept himself separate
from the creature he didnt trust. The tightrope he had walked
on all his life to attain perfection with nothing but absolute
ease and confidence, and never any difficulty, was turning to
razor wire beneath his increasingly clumsy feet.
He continued trying to lock the thing away, graduating
college and following societys expectations. Soon came the
entry-level office job and, not long after that, the wife. For
years, it was easy to just press his nose to the grindstone, to
find things that would distract him and keep him sane. It was
easy, until the hunting stopped working.
The Horror lurking under his skin wanted more than
scraps, more than rabbits, deer, and other easy game. It was
tired of the formula; wait, shoot, follow, then kill. There was
no satisfaction there. Still, he did his best to silence those urges,
already facing pressure in his waking life. A possible promotion
had ratcheted up his workload, his mother was concerned about
the state of his fathers mental health, and his wife was nattering
incessantly and less subtly about starting a family. As if it could
smell the weakness, his Horror began to pound on the bars of
its cage, restlessly pacing its Lair. With everything pressing on
from all sides, all James wanted was an escape.
It came one night after dinner, when his wife was doing
dishes and she dropped some on the floor. The shattering sound
resonated within him for a moment, and everything that was
bothering him melted away. Footsteps silent as he paced into
the kitchen, he watched for a moment as the woman that meant
so little to him (now that he thought about it, anyway) swore
quietly to herself and picked up the larger pieces of broken
porcelain. He bent to pick one up himself, wickedly pointed,
placed a gentle hand on her shoulder, and drove it into her
neck. From deep within him, something growled its satisfaction
and demanded more.
He recalled only that it was brutal, and he had drawn upon
powers beyond anything he had attempted before. It felt much
like that first triumphant dream had, so long ago. Something
was awakening within him, filling up the empty space that had
caused so much discomfort. The claws he couldnt see suddenly
grew from his fingertips, the fangs that gnashed at her bloodied
face sprouted from his aching gums, and dark, matted fur grew
over his limbs and back. Finally, his Horror had what it always
wanted, and never again would it have to go without. Beyond
the walls of their pristine little community was a patch of woods
that called to him, resonating with his Heart. When the Beast
was finally satisfied with its kill, it took off for them, leaving
everything it had known previously behind.
Description
When the man with everything going his way snaps in a
quiet suburban area, it tends to catch the attention of at least
the local news circuits. The story circulated immediately over
the 24-hour news cycle, always coming to a dead end as far as
where the man himself ended up. Without a body ever found
and no trace of him after the night of the conflict, the case
quickly went cold and was largely forgotten outside of his im-
mediate community. Locally, his story turned rapidly into one
told at sleepovers and over campfires, always with an exaggerated
ending involving a vengeful spirit, often disembodied (either
his or one possessing him) let loose without a physical body to
wreak havoc. In reality, James is no more, and in his place is
Cru, the merger of man and Beast.
The best way to describe Cru is hungry. Following his
transformation, his motives narrowed significantly and revolved
solely around satisfying his Hunger. When threatened, he fights
tooth and nail to escape and continue living another day. Hiding
and licking his wounds is preferable to bleeding out from them.
If there are other supernatural creatures around, Cru doesnt
notice or care; only encroaching upon his hunting ground
catches his attention, and it doesnt matter if the interloper
is mortal, Begotten, or other. Any that threaten his hunting
ground soon become prey.
Crus philosophy is simple: If he cant kill it, it can kill
him; if he hasnt killed it yet, it might kill him. To this end, he
is a brutal and relentless stalker, using all of the benefits of his
Family to outsmart those who might want to find him. While he
operates mostly on instinct, he does realize that getting caught
means the end of him. The chase is of little importance to
Cru, and he hunts opportunistically, preying on whomever or
whatever happens to wander into what he claims as his territory.
The areas Cru has claimed as his own are very apparent
and stand in stark contrast to the gated community he was
once a part of. Manicured woods of suburbia give way to rotting
forests, where footsteps and animal sounds echo in strange and
dizzying ways, and sunlight rarely reaches past the dilapidated
canopy even at high noon. Upon crossing the threshold into
Crus woods, the sense of being watched is ubiquitous, and the
sensation gets stronger the more time is spent there. Sounds
grow louder and closer until the inevitable roar from the nearby
shadows and then, for the lucky ones, its over before it begins.
For those that can catch a glimpse of the creature, Cru is a
hulking black form in the dark, accented by flashing yellow eyes
and glinting, wet teeth. On the occasion that someone can get
a longer, closer look at him, he is a hunched, half-humanoid,
half-lupine figure, covered in erratic patches of thick, matted,
dark fur. His teeth are all unnaturally sharp, and his nails are
wickedly curved claws. The hallmarks of his presence are an
all-consuming sense of helplessness and the overwhelming
desire to flee. Overcoming the compulsion is hardly better
than obeying it.
Rumors
After that guy went psycho and murdered his wife, they say he
ran away into the woods there and killed himself, too, and he haunts
them now. Thats why they dont grow anymore, and they dont feel nights until he is satisfied. The new moon is the easiest time to
right. Hes out there, waiting for other victims.
James certainly did flee to the woods after the murder, and
any recognizable countenance of the human man is gone. In his
STORY HOOKS
Teenagers have made it a game to go into the
woods at the edge of the community, and all
come back reporting something horribly wrong
that they cant put their fingers on. Recently, one of
the intrepid teenagers has gone missing. Nor-
mally, Beasts wouldnt get involved, but she is the
daughter of a local mage who believes she was
taken by one of the Children. He has asked the
characters to help him investigate the woods and
find his daughter.
Theres been a sudden spike in the Hero popu-
lation, and they all cite the same nightmare of
something stalking them through dark woods. The
Heroes dont know who to target, and members
of the characters brood are now in danger. The
characters must either dispose of the Heroes, or
find out what is awakening so many and put an
end to it.
The Apex has put out a bounty on the unhinged
creature wreaking havoc and threatening to ex-
pose the supernatural world. One of the charac-
ters friends is an Eshmaki who has been targeted
by those seeking to fulfill the bounty. She asks the
characters to help her find the true Beast causing
the problems and clear her good name.
place is the Rampant Beast James has become, and he doesnt
exactly haunt his woods as much as dominate them. Cru, the
shell of the man James once was, stalks his woods confidently,
and is the source of the strange, persistent decay that possesses
them. The haunted sense of the woods is completely accurate,
however, anyone looking for a ghost is more likely to meet an
untimely end rather than a specter.
You can hear it howling every night. It hates the light, tries to
stick to the shadows, but anyone thats seen it swears that were-
wolves are real. Cant be, though, might be a coyote or a regular
wolf...at least, thats what people say before they see the claw marks
on the second-story windows. Even then, some try to explain it away.
As for me, the werewolf thing doesnt seem too far off, except that it
only seems to come to town on the new moon.
On dark enough nights when the shadows are thick, Cru
returns to the community he was a part of and hunts anyone
outdoors late at night. He revels in the fear and enjoys making
sure everyone knows the shadows are his, and those who try to
catch a glimpse of the creature prowling outside are rewarded
most often with terrible nightmares for their curiosity. If a
night hunting this way offers no human prey as a reward, Cru
turns on any unfortunate animal left outside for the night as
a meager substitute, and hunts more viciously on subsequent
hunt this way, when the night is darkest. Bright light can deter
him where it shines, but, as an Eshmaki, he is likely to simply
summon darkness around him to bypass it.
cru 71
 Its the damnedest thing; Id been waking up from this terrible
nightmare all week, and when I mentioned it to my husband, he
said the same thing. The same dream, over and over. Even our
daughter started having it, and shed wake up screaming. Shes 12,
mind you she hasnt been that scared of a dream in years. I talked
to some other mothers about itsame story. At least one person in
their family was experiencing it, if not all of them.
If Cru has not hunted to his satisfaction, the town around
him begins to experience savage nightmares. More than once,
especially if he happens to be prowling the streets at the same
time, this has resulted in the awakening of a Hero. Thus far,
no one has been successful in taking him down, but it is very
possible some are biding their time until they are powerful
enough to do so. Either way, the community has at least one
budding Hero in it at most points in time. Cru doesnt much
know or care about this particular consequence, but enjoys
when it brings prey to his front door to hunt.
Legend:Brutal
Family:Eshmaki
Hunger:Prey
Mental Attributes:Intelligence 2, Wits 3, Resolve 3
Physical Attributes:Strength 6, Dexterity 5, Stamina 4
MARTIN OSULLIVAN
THE EMPYREAN SWIMMER
Ive forgotten more than you could even imagine, of countless realms between
the stars and the beings which exist there.
Background
Once upon a time, there was a young boy named Martin
OSullivan, the son of a good Irish father and pious Irish
mother. Martin, one of many children, was raised to work hard,
say his prayers every night, and respect both his parents. His
father raised sheep, his mother crocheted lace, and everyone
assumed Martin would one day grow up to become a man like
his father and marry a woman like his mother.
Fate had a different plan for Martin.
As a very young child, Martin had vivid dreams. While
asleep in the large bed he shared with his siblings, he visited
wondrous lands where he would learn fantastic and hidden
lore, which he forgot almost immediately upon waking. He
tried to share these beautiful dreams with his family, but they
had no time for his flights of fancy. Martins father, after all,
was raising sensible sheep farmers not idle dreamers. Martin
quickly learned to keep his dreams to himself.
72 CHAPTER TWO: BEASTS
Social Attributes:Presence 2, Manipulation 2,
Composure 2
Mental Skills:Academics 1, Occult 1, Investigation
(Tracking) 3
Physical Skills:Athletics 4, Brawl (Grapple) 4,
Survival 3, Stealth 3
Social Skills:Animal Ken 1, Intimidation (Stalking) 4,
Subterfuge 2,
Merits:Direction Sense, Danger Sense, Danger Sense
(Advanced), Relentless Assault 5
Atavisms:Cyclopean Strength, Eye of Heaven, From
the Shadows, Limb From Limb, Relentless Hunter
Health:9
Willpower:5
Satiety:2
Size:5
Speed:16
Initiative:7
Defense:7
Armor:
Notes:Cru has the benefits of Increased Awareness
twice (+2 to appropriate rolls), Body Warp (for a +2
bonus to Brawl) and Increased Attribute (Strength).
His dreams, though, kindled within him an intense curios-
ity. Martin wanted to know if these dreams were true dreams, if
he visited real places in his sleep. His priest told him that these
dreams were gifts from God and the angels, and so Martin felt
sure that these places must exist somewhere, but had no idea
how to find them.
Then came the day his father took him to market. Martin,
finally old enough to help with the flock at age 12, accompanied
his father and older brothers as they drove their sheep to Galway
for sale and slaughter. Martin had never before seen the sea, and his
first visit to Galway introduced him to yet another wonder:ships.
A living forest on the water of tall wooden masts and canvas
canopies, Martin fell in love with these tall ships at first sight.
At every opportunity, he slipped away from his sheep-tending
duties to instead sneak into sailors pubs and listen, wide-eyed,
to their tales of travel and adventure. Martin knew that his fate
lay not in becoming a sheep farmer, but a sailor.
 His father, however, would not hear of it. Martin was of so complete, until that evening, when he was finally allowed to
good shepherd stock, like his father and grandfather before sleep. The spiritual force that had been scratching at the doors
him. Shepherding was honest, safe work. No son of his would of Martins mind finally made itself known. The Swimmer, as
become a sailor, not while he had anything to say on it. it called itself, manifested as an amalgamation of every sea tale
Riding on the wagon away from Galway, Martin thought Martin had heard and some he hadnt. Martin gleefully ac-
his heart might break as he saw the masts and sails slip away. cepted the Swimmers offer, and became a Makara.
He spent the next year pining for the sea, his dreams wrapped Martin quickly turned the ship into his Lair. Feeding in
up in the adventures and distant lands of which hed heard the such close quarters proved to be challenging,
sailors speak. Martin wished to be a good boy, as his parents but Martin was a Collector who enjoyed stealing
wanted. He could not resist the call of the sea, secrets from his crew mates.
no matter how hard he tried. Slowly, a terrible At first, he stole small and mean-
desire formed in his heart. At first, ingless secrets who had snuck extra
Martin rejected the idea, but his rations or helped them-
dreams grew more intense, and he selves to the captains
eventually devised a plan. brandy. These simple
As Martin waited for the year to secrets were as hard-
pass, he spent time planning what he tack to the feasts he
would do. After the year was out, craved, though.
he was now a young man of 13, and Martin wanted
he again accompanied his father to understand
and brothers to the markets the way
of Galway. For 13 days out the world
of the fortnight he and worked,
his family spent in down to its core.
the city, Martin He began tear-
did as his father ing larger, more
told him. powerful secrets from
On the his crewmates. When at
14th day, be- port, hed find the most learned
fore the sun rose, theologians, academics, or mystics
he walked out of and stalk their sleep repeatedly, steal-
the rooms where ing knowledge until they had nothing
his family slept, left to offer. Such gluttony might have
and made his way been enough to awaken a nearby Hero,
to the wharf. There, but Martin was always sailing to a new harbor
he picked his favorite ship by the time anyone gained enough power to
a three-masted beauty oppose him.
with a painted hull and The more he gained, the more he
polished wooden mer- wanted. Martin became a master occult-
maid on the prow. ist. In his quest for knowledge, though,
The captain had need Martin lost sight of himself. In trying to
of ready hands, though unlock the secrets of death and madness,
was reluctant to hire a he sacrificed his fellow crew members by the
poor shepherd from a dozens. In trying to unlock the secrets of the
landlocked village. The unseen world, he captured and tortured more
gleam in Martins eye than a few supernatural creatures.
and the boys obvious Martins sanity suffered as he traversed
passion for the sea farther and farther into his hunt of secrets. As
eventually swayed he spiraled down, he began to resent what he
the captain. perceived as his confinement the artificial restric-
Dawn came, the tide went out, tions of morality, of his ship, and eventually, of his own body.
and Martin was aboard his first ship One moonless night when he was supposed to be on
as a cabin boy. The work was hard, watch, Martin walked to the prow of his ship and dove
the weather unforgiving, and the food into the sea. He swam down, as far as he possibly could. His
barely edible, but Martin didnt mind. lungs burned for air, but Martin kept swimming. The pressure
He was at sea. Never had he felt so at home, squeezed his body, but Martin kept swimming. Eventually,

the empyrean swimmer 73

 either the pressure or the lack of air proved too much, and
Martin died.
Free of his physical body, the entity formerly known as
Martin was reborn as the Empyrean Swimmer.
Description
The Empyrean Swimmer has divested itself of all possible
vestiges of its former humanity. Its previous life as Martin the
boy from Galway is now less real than a dream.
The thing that the Empyrean Swimmer remembers most is
the yearning - the desire for freedom, adventure, and knowledge.
It now swims through the Primordial Dream, investigating lost
and forgotten places. On a few occasions, it has even been able
to reach the springs of Arcadia and the streams of Hisil. The
desire to uncover hidden, occult knowledge has become the
Empyrean Swimmers Ban.
As for a Bane - the Empyrean Swimmer cannot leave the
water. Such things mean little in the Primordial Dream, but
do become meaningful whenever the Empyrean Swimmer
touches another realm, including the material plane. Whenever
the Empyrean Swimmer manifests, it always appears in a lake,
stream, river, pond, or other natural body of water. It firmly
resists any attempt to remove it from the water. The Empyrean
Swimmer can move over land through water open to the
air, such as canals and aqueducts, but not through pipes or
plumbing.
In some circumstances, the Empyrean Swimmer may ap-
pear on a boat. However, the boat must be at sea (not on a river
or docked) and the Empyrean Swimmer cannot go belowdecks;
it must remain in the open air and with easy access to the water.
Such manifestations are always brief, lasting minutes at best.
When manifesting, the Empyrean Swimmer appears com-
pletely inhuman. It has the general body of an octopus, but one
covered in coral, barnacles, and wisps of seaweed. Small schools
of tiny fish surround the Empyrean Swimmer, mystical atten-
dants who constantly wink in and out of existence. Most alien
and disturbing, however, are its eyes. Luminous and bright, one

STORY HOOKS
A legendary Beast (perhaps even one of the Incarnate) threatens the characters and they must track down their
enemys personal history if they are to have any insight as to his weaknesses and vulnerabilities. Predictably,
however, the Beast has taken care to obscure all accurate information regarding such history. In the course of
their efforts to track down this information, the characters discover the existence of the Empyrean Swimmer and
realize this creature likely has the knowledge they seek. The spirit gives away nothing for free, though. If they
wish to know how to defeat their enemy, the characters need to trade some secret the Empyrean Swimmer does
not know. Unless the characters have already built up a store of occult secrets, or possess any particularly juicy
personal secrets, odds are theyll need to find something new. Since the only lore the Empyrean Swimmer reli-
ably doesnt possess is regarding Kindred, this means the player characters are going to have to visit the local
vampire court in the pursuit of new secrets.
Jinever Marques, despite being a mage, has never been overly concerned with unlocking the secrets of the
universe or accumulating untold cosmic power. Jinever uses her powers to build the most wondrous and magical
zoological garden in the known world. Her demesne is full of tremendous and rare creatures:bushes of ever-
blooming roses watered by the Fountain of Youth, magically constructed unicorns gamboling in their enclosure,
captured werewolves contained by electrified silver. Jinever recently learned of the Empyrean Swimmer, and is
determined to add it to her next exhibit. For this reason, she hires the player characters or, rather, attempts to.
If the player characters are themselves Beasts, theyll likely balk at Jinevers offer and instead turn their efforts
to protecting the Swimmer against Jinevers machinations. After the characters turn her down, Jinever turns to a
more amoral team of magical mercenaries, whom the player characters will have to oppose.
At some point during its travels, the Empyrean Swimmer confronted its limitations. Though it is free to travel
through worlds, it remains constrained by water and finds travel through the material world difficult. As a result,
the Empyrean Swimmer has chosen to take one of the characters as a protg someone it can have perform
various tasks on its behalf in exchange for tutelage and protection. The protg must also be either a Makara or
a Collector, though both would be ideal. The Empyrean Swimmer tasks its protg with goals of increasing dif-
ficulty and dangerousness. However, in exchange, the Empyrean Swimmer will teach the character quite a few
Nightmares, share fragments of occult lore, or reveal the location of much-coveted magical artifacts.
A vortex of spiritual chaos draws the player characters in, as disruptions in the Primordial Dream spread chaotic
nightmares. The Empyrean Swimmer chose to take one of its extremely rare trips into the material world just as
a cabal of mages enacted a portal-closing ritual. As a result of the ritual, all nearby extra-dimensional gate-
ways are now closed. The Empyrean Swimmer is now trapped in the material world. It has never encountered
this problem before, and has begun to panic, lashing out at the parts of the world it can still touch. At night,
it invades the dreams of nearby sleepers, carelessly stealing Essence in an attempt to return to the Primordial
Dream. The characters must figure out what is going on, then help the Empyrean Swimmer return home.

74 CHAPTER TWO: BEASTS

cannot look into the eyes of the Empyrean Swimmer and detect
anything kind, compassionate, or human only an intelligent,
yet overwhelming, hunger.
Communicating with the Empyrean Swimmer is a strange
experience for anyone who tries. The creature is powerful
enough and intelligent enough to have retained language.
Somehow, it has also retained a voice and the capability to
use it. Its experience as an unbound spirit of the Primordial
Dream, however, has caused it to lose all understanding and
empathy for the concerns of those still embodied. The only
thing the Empyrean Swimmer understands is its ban, the
hunger for knowledge. Such acquisitiveness is the only topic
capable of holding its attention for any significant length of
time. Regardless of the discussion, however, everyone who
speaks with the Empyrean Swimmer comes away with the dis-
tinct feeling of having brushed up against a wholly alien and
inhuman consciousness.
Rumors
What most people dont know is that there are many planes of
existence. Even among the people who do know about other realms,
they generally only know about one or two. The Empyrean Swimmer
has been to all of them, multiple times. You may encounter it in
places you never thought even possible. It always comes home to the
Primordial Dream, though.
The Empyrean Swimmer has visited many planes beyond
the material and the Primordial Dream. Its favorite is the
Hedge, for that realm is beautiful and everchanging, though it
also enjoys swimming through the Underworld and learning
the secrets of the dead. However, the Empyrean Swimmer feels
most at home in the Primordial Dream, and always returns to
this realm after a visit elsewhere. Legends of the Empyrean
Swimmer have spread within the Beast community and further
into other supernatural avenues through its travels. Those that
wish to find it may have to seek out rumors from other super-
natural creatures and their experiences with the elusive spirit.
If you want knowledge about things beyond your own front
door, you need to seek out the Empyrean Swimmer. I hear tell it has
been collecting a great amount of information about all the other
supernatural creatures in the world, things they would never want
you to know.
The lives of changelings, mages, werewolves, and other
supernatural beings often touch parallel worlds. As a result of
visiting these planes, the Empyrean Swimmer has been able to
learn a lot about these creatures. The one exception, however,
is vampires. Kindred generally exist in no realm except the
material the one plane the Empyrean Swimmer visits the
least often. On the rare occasions it does make the trip from
the Primordial Dream into Twilight, few vampires have the
ability to even perceive, much less interact with, the Empyrean
Swimmer. It knows of the existence of vampires, and is aware of
the differences between the vampire clans, but otherwise knows
nothing about Kindred society. This is a gap in its knowledge
which it would like to remedy. Any who seek out the Empyrean
Swimmer must be prepared to share information it does not
already have in return for what they are looking for, which is
often a difficult task.
I hear the Empyrean Swimmer has a vast library filled with
volumes upon volumes of lore and magical artifacts. They say it
keeps these things in some kind of underwater lair; if you can find
it, you are likely to find riches beyond your imagining.
The Empyrean Swimmer is a spirit. It owns nothing, has
no possessions, and claims no territory beyond the patch of
water it currently occupies. Yet, what the Empyrean Swimmer
knows and has witnessed would be enough to fill a library of
the sort of which the rumors speak. While it may not specifi-
cally own any magical artifacts, it certainly knows where quite
a few of them are located.
After obtaining a rare journal detailing the work a mage
performed with spirits, the hunter organization Aegis Kai Doru
learned of the Empyrean Swimmer. A cell of hunters working for
this conspiracy, while looking further into the spirits existence,
has realized that the Empyrean Swimmer knows the location
of many magical artifacts. The cell would like to figure out a
way to communicate with the Empyrean Swimmer, though it
has no violent inclinations towards it, yet.
Legend:Acquisitive
Rank:5
Attributes:Power 8, Finesse 14, Resistance 11
Corpus:16
Willpower:10
Essence:35
Size:6
Speed:24
Initiative:25
Defense:8
Influences:Fear , Water
Numina:Awe, Bane Sense, Drain, Invade Dream,
Nightmare Weaponry, Pathfinder
Manifestations:Fetter, Nightmare Apparition,
Realm Gateway:The Hedge, Realm Gateway:The
Shadow, Realm Gateway:Temenos, Realm Gateway:
Underworld, Unfetter
Ban:Must collect secrets, especially occult secrets.
Bane:Cannot leave naturally-occurring bodies of
water (or manufactured bodies of water open to the sky
and air, such as canals or aqueducts). If the Empyrean
Swimmer is tricked into entering a waterless area (such
as by being lured into a canal which was then blocked
and drained), it may be harmed by mundane attacks.
Notes:The Empyrean Swimmer is not a fighter, though
it is magically powerful. If threatened, it simply swims
away (possibly into another realm). Only if the Empyrean
Swimmer is trapped or cornered will it fight back and
only to end the conflict quickly and decisively. Few other
beings have the ease of movement that the Empyrean
Swimmer enjoys, and it knows pursuit is difficult.
the empyrean swimmer 75
 ADAM CUTLER
THE SILVER BAY SERPENT
Dont think about whats happening those thousands of feet below you.
You really dont want to know.

Background the lingering afterglow, he could see the teeth, and woke up
just as the jaws flashed open to consume him.
The waters just below the bluff were widely known to be
His mother called the dreams common sense; he was learn-
treacherous, but they had always called out to him. Siren song
ing that the ocean was a power to fear and the craggy bottom of
wasnt the phrase; the waves that beat against the cliff felt safer
their little bay was dangerous. As they persisted alongside the
than land ever had, and though swimming in them as a child
continued pull to the water, he knew they had to be something
always earned a swift call to come out and a lecture as he was
else. They returned with increasing frequency as time went on,
ushered back into the house, he never listened for long. He
more ferocious on days when he had been diving in search
couldnt. The little dwelling just down the hill from the light-
of answers to his nightmares. What he would do if he found
house wasnt home; the rolling waves and cold, salted water
the cove of such mammoth and violent creatures, he had no
were where he was always been most at peace.
idea, and yet the desire to find and know was something he
As he grew older and watched the waves of summer people couldnt ignore.
come and go from his sleepy cape town, the nightmares began.
Near the end of the summer season, when the beaches were
Beneath the placid waves lived giant, malevolent creatures,
finally beginning to empty again and the barest hints of autumn
things that lurked in water far too shallow to house them,
were nipping at the air, he woke well before dawn from the
things that loathed the influx of bodies to their home. They
same haunting nightmare. He slipped quietly out of the house
brought poisons with them the chemical lotions, the gas and
and mounted the hill where the lighthouse stood. The trance
oil from their motorboats, the waste from beachfront picnics
from the dream persisted, drawing him to dive the 60 or so feet
and cared little, if at all, for what they did to the water they
down from the bluff, into a part of the bay largely unexplored
invaded. When the waves frothed and foamed with motion and
due to rock formations blocking the way. It wasnt long until
the tourists ran screaming, he waded in peacefully, almost in
what called to him made itself known, a piece of wood lodged
a trance. The world shrank around him as every step brought
in the murk and muck of the sand, bearing faded letters that
the water up higher ankles, shins, knees, thighs, and chest.
might have once said Carey Marie.
The undertow would grip him when he lost his footing, yank-
ing him further into the vortex of white water and into the His prize the length of his entire arm and no fewer than
nest of the behemoth creatures so enraged by the intrusion six inches tall came free with ease as he pulled at it and car-
upon their home. The trance always broke when one of them ried it ashore. Returning to his home, he wrapped the piece in
brushed his skin, slick eel scales or rough shark sandpaper, the a towel and tucked it away in his closet with gentle reverence,
phantom grab of seaweed or tentacles, or the unbreakable grip then fell into the waiting arms of the dream that still hung
of an octopus suction-cup arm. They thrashed more violently about him. This time he witnessed it from a different perspec-
for a moment once they were aware of him, then, in terrifying tive:yes, they were running, but he no longer had to approach.
unison, fell still. He was the serpent in the water, writhing and thrashing with
his brethren, churning the water into white froth and foam.
The grip would return, usually the same creature that
When he woke again, it wasnt the green eyes he knew that
brushed him but occasionally another, and drag him below the
opened, but the slitted yellow eyes of the serpent, in the cold
surface, leaving his last breath of air a shriek above the water.
and fathomless dark of the very bottom of the world, under the
Dragged into the murky depths with the bodies of the monsters
comforting pressure of countless gallons of water. Just outside
pressing in, robbed of what little breath hed managed to keep
was the familiar lighthouse, or his version of it, creaking under
as they crushed from all sides, he felt his lungs burn in despera-
its own weight and treacherous to uneducated feet, moored on
tion as the rest of him turned colder and colder. Currents of icy
an island hardly big enough to hold the structure. Home, he
water were the only things that marked his descent, the world
reflected, truly was where the heart was.
around him black and cold, and his lungs crying for air as they
continued down. By the time he was numb all over, a flare of Life was easier after that, as Adam established a kind of
bioluminescence would stab at his eyes, bright blue-white in symbiosis with the serpent in his soul. The Horror was never
the dark of the bottom of the world. As it faded, looming in content far from water, but that was easy enough to appease,

76 CHAPTER TWO: BEASTS

and so too was its craving for the names of those who dared
to challenge the open sea and declare themselves its master.
College was the best of times, an excuse to study abroad and
visit foreign shores, claim footholds in new places, and collect
exotic names. He found Chambers he could have claimed as
his own wherever he went, but he had little love for them;
much more satisfying was making one that was unques-
tionably his own.
Earning a degree in marine biology ensured a
life near the water, and almost certainly a healthy
supply of names when he needed them. Yet, for all
his travel, he was always drawn home, to his light-
house and his little bay, needing to make
them his. The Horror was not content to
simply be, it wanted to be known, to take
back the comfort from those who so foolishly
thought the water was always safe and could
never hurt them. To that end, he found
himself occasionally trawling areas of
the ocean known to be treacherous, and
spent a particularly satisfying summer in
the Bermuda Triangle. The tropics were
never home, though; the waters were
too warm, too clear, and he longed
for his murky Atlantic. Little by
little, he stretched his influence,
his patience wearing thinner with
the years, and his list of names
growing longer and longer, indi-
viduals drowned far out at sea or
whole vessels swallowed by the
hungry tide. Sean. Michael. Paul.
Gina. Rosey. The Fair Freedom.
The unique and contradictory
Shoremans Home.
Stories about his hometown
began to spread, the waters
strangely deadly for such a quiet
town, the weather so unpredictable.
Clear skies darkened to black in
an instant, the lazy tide suddenly
turning ferocious. Kayakers who
had pushed themselves too hard,
swimmers who had overestimated
their endurance, boaters certain
they could navigate the treacherous
cove, all swallowed by the water. It
drove some away, yes, but drew
others:bolder individuals who
wanted to study the strange
phenomena, or challenge it
more directly. Either personality
suited the serpents needs
equally well.
The Legend Grows
In the intervening decades, his parents passed and left
everything to Adam. The serpent delighted in having control
over the safety of those caught out in storms. The marina was
safe; pulling the boats in for the night or when the weather
turned was the intelligent thing to do. Those beyond the
safety of the artificial harbor were fair game and, in time,
the lighthouseand his increasingly sprawling Lair
was littered with the IDs of individuals and the torn
nameplates of those vessels the serpent claimed. Still,
it wasnt enough; every year the Horror was less con-
tent to meander the same Chambers and Burrows. It
wanted out. It wanted more. It drew him once again, in
the same trance as he had been before his Devouring,
to another length at sea, to another dive, deeper
than ever before. The pressure and cold of the
ocean no longer bothered him; they hadnt
since the dawn the serpent awoke in him.
It led him now again to a site in the
North Atlantic, where he plunged into
the icy depths of the water, reliving the
dream again but awake this time; not
needing air to breathe, not needing
the light to see, guided only by intu-
ition and the current of the ocean
around him. Any and all manner
of aquatic life avoided him, moving
hastily away as he continued down
for hours (or was it days?) before
finding the fabled shipwreck.
It sprawled across the ocean,
half the ship here, the other half
hundreds and hundreds of feet away
with its own sea of debris between the
sections. The serpent was delighted;
it knew this place. It remembered.
At once, as Adams eyes probed the
dark and finally came upon the one
enormous piece it was looking for, he
understood. Underneath the rust and
corrosion, only three letters were even
partially legible A N I but the
location and the serpents memories
all fell into place. They had called it
unsinkable, they had ventured into
his territory, and he had taken their
challenge. The Titanic had sunk, like
everything else that challenged him.
He could feel the doorway
there, as he explored the ancient
wreck, and felt the overwhelming
urge to make it his. It was some-
thing not simply requested but
demanded by the Horror. He
felt the serpent writhe with sick,
eager joy as it joined the rest of
the silver bay serpent 77

STORY HOOKS
The tightly-knit local community has turned on the
characters, the outsiders, and accused them of be-
ing responsible for the recent string of disappear-
ances relating to the Silver Bay Lighthouse. The
characters must investigate the problem and clear
their names.
A member of the brood came into the possession
of an antique boat nameplate. The group traded it
away to a mage in payment for services rendered
earlier that year. It turns out that the nameplate
was stolen from the serpents hoard. He demands
the characters repay their debt either by return-
ing the stolen property or paying in blood.
During a trip, a storm causes the characters to
make an unexpected landing in Silver Bay, forcing
them to remain until it blows over. From the first
night, the brood suffers nightmares induced by the
serpent. They get the overwhelming sense that the
Apex here does not like outsiders. They must meet
with him and appease him before he kills them
outright for trespassing in his territory.
his Lair. He followed it soon after to see what it looked like from
the other side, and found himself exploring a very similar scene,
this one in motion. Underneath the water, the shrieks and groans
of tearing metal resonated for miles as detritus sank unendingly.
Ecstatic, he wove in and out of the punctured hull, swam between
the two halves of the perpetually doomed vessel, and reveled in
the satisfaction of such a glorious victory.
Upon returning at long last to the long-deserted wreck in the
waking world, he felt his next breath fill him more deeply than it
ever had before, and a feeling of wholeness came upon him as he
felt himself change. The tiny human body at the bottom of the
ocean was no more, at least for now; at once he was the serpent,
the enormous, sleekly muscled body his, in his true home. They
were more one than ever, and that way they would remain. His
quest was finished, and he had his answers.
He kept the serpents form the entire way home, his little boat
forgotten, unnecessary. While he knew the way his Horror had
moved before, it was pure magic to stretch and flex and use these
muscles, and feel them as his own! The storm clouds gathered as
he swam, following behind him, darker and more ominous every
mile until he breached the inlet that led to his cove. The winds
had already drawn the tide into ferocious breakers. The clouds
blotted out all sunlight, belching thunder and slinging lightning.
The waters thrashed around his coiling body as they always had
in the dream, and he reared up, meeting the revolving eye of the
lighthouse before flinging his head back and unleashing a roar
that rang through the town and the Chambers of its Lair, letting
everyone know mortal, Begotten, his more distant brethren
this was his power, his doing, his town, and his storm.
78 CHAPTER TWO: BEASTS
Description
The problem with humanity is just how petty and boring
it is, and an Incarnate has little sympathy to spare.
In the event that Adam appears as a human, he is solitary
and unobtrusive to behold, with the thin, specialized muscular
build of a swimmer. Though he is quiet and reserved, he is
always alert and carefully takes stock of everything around him.
He carries himself with an aura of supreme confidence, need-
ing no words to express his natural superiority. To some, this
nature is offputting; the constantly-calculating look in his eye
and dismissive nature of his demeanor are intimidating or infu-
riating. Yet, even those most incensed by such an attitude find
that they falter after a few moments of his unyielding scrutiny.
The air around Adam is just a bit colder and carries the
scent of the ocean. His long hair is slightly damp, and his skin
looks stretched too tightly over his body, leaving bony ridges
jutting out in sharp angles and muscles on display in stark
relief. Combined with a near-permanent scowl, these give him
a constant lean, hungry look. When stationary, his stillness is
inhuman, but when provoked, his motions are sinuous and
graceful, made more eerie in their speed and precision by the
elongated quality of his limbs. More obviously between his toes
than his fingers, his appendages are slightly webbed.
Thick, moss-green scales with a dark stripe pattern cover
Adams serpentine body. A spiny fin runs along the length of his
body in the same manner as an eel, and his face and body are
dotted with touches of bioluminescence. His eyes are enormous
black holes that dominate most of his bony face, sitting just
above the rows of sharp, needle-like teeth in his distensible jaw.
While he is not particularly against working with other
Beasts, he is also not particularly for it. Having built his name
and legend largely on his own over decades, begging for help is
something he sees as unnecessary, and woe be unto the Beast
if the task she requires aid on is something Adam thinks she
can handle on her own. Undoubtedly the Apex of his region,
he prefers those that inhabit it to fall in line and disturb him as
little as possible, remaining a minacious, lurking figure rather
than an obvious or friendly presence. To this end, the Chambers
of his local hive have taken on his Decayed Lair Trait, pervaded
by the stench of rust and salt while everything inside groans
and creaks in an ominous way. One missed step or slip, and
everything can come crashing down on a careless individual.
If there is something worthy of his attention, Adam never
offers aid without a reward. The promise of new names for
his hoard is a good motivation, provided he is hungry when
found, and he is more likely to agree to help if the threat di-
rectly involves his beloved ocean. However, if a payment fails
to come through, or is not satisfactory in his opinion, he will
not hesitate to take whatever he wishes to make up the deficit.
Rumors
It happens at least once a summer. A perfectly calm, sunny
day, not a cloud in the sky, and then out of nowhere, the worst storm
youve ever seen. Im talking hurricane levels. The sky just turns black,
and youve got maybe five minutes. No one in the water after the
rain starts ever makes it to shore. Some people, ones with houses close
to the water, say they can see something in the bay. Same story, year
after year, different people every time. A huge serpent in the bay.
Everyones had a temper tantrum, but most dont come
with tsunamis and gale-force winds. Adams lesson is a simple
one:respect the water and what it can do. The first storm comes
as a warning, and others follow if Adam deems them necessary.
In the off season, once fall and winter hit, the storms mellow
in scale but increase in frequency, and sightings of the serpent
creature increase, as do instances of boats washing up ashore
that appear to have been torn clean in two before sinking.
Getting caught up accidentally in one of these storms is easy,
as they can rage for days and affect the area for miles around.
That lighthouse, on the hill there? The owners died years ago.
Left it all to their son. They were townies, never traveled much.
But, the boy just vanished one day. The lighthouse, though its
never stopped working. Its funny...doesnt seem to spare many ships.
Nights with a new moon, theres always something dashed on the
shore in the morning. No one around here will go inside. They say
someone tried a few years ago, talked a big game about how they
could take on anything inside, ghosts arent real, all that. Vanished,
just like the boy.
If the locals dont like something, theres usually a reason.
The lighthouse, well maintained and fully functioning, never
shows any sign of people entering or leaving. Despite its ap-
parent abandonment and the influx of bored teenagers every
summer, it doesnt have a speck of graffiti or a single broken
window. In some ways, thats what makes it eerie. After years
of standing and serving as a Chamber in Adams Lair, it has
also developed its own aura that discomfits most mortal be-
ings and signals to other supernatural beings that it is a place
of not-inconsiderable power. On some occasions, the guiding
light of the beacon becomes disorienting in the gloom. As for
the disappearances, poke a sleeping bear and itll only stay sleep-
ing for so long. Occasionally, the door to the lighthouse will
not just lead inside, but to the Chamber, where the would-be
investigators invariably get more than they were looking for.
The fog comes in sometimes, real thick. Too thick, some say.
Cant see your own hand in front of your face, but you can hear.
Somethings moving. Somethings hunting. If you hold still, keep to
yourself, it wont bother you. When the fog comes in, some of them
start screaming. I overheard someone talking about a dream they
had once, walking and walking in a real thick fog, until the ground
wasnt there anymore. Woke up when they started to fall, but not
before knowing something was watching them. Maybe thats what
makes em start to holler. When the dream starts coming true.
The best teachers know that different people learn different
ways, and having more than one teaching technique is most
effective. While at one point Adams Hunger may have been
confined to those straying in open water, since his ascension to
Incarnate, his boundaries have widened. When Adam is hungry
and the water is quiet, nightmares lash out at the people of the
town, and those that react to the fog rolling in become targets
for more personal, specialized lessons. On these occasions,
Adam is more likely to hunt in his human form, inflicting
savage nightmares upon those nearby as he collects what he
considers to be his, prowling the fog for those fool enough to
scream or run.
Myth:Storm-King Serpent
Family:Makara
Hunger:Hoard (Names)
Mental Attributes:Intelligence 4, Wits 6, Resolve 3
Physical Attributes:Strength 5, Dexterity 7, Stamina 4
Social Attributes:Presence 8, Manipulation 4,
Composure 4
Mental Skills:Academics (Nautical) 4, Crafts 2,
Investigation 2, Medicine 2, Occult 3
Physical Skills: Athletics (Swimming) 5, Larceny 2,
Survival 2
Social Skills:Intimidation 2, Persuasion (Tough Love) 3,
Socialize 2
Merits:Demolisher 2, Killer Instinct 3, Killer Instinct
(Advanced) 1, Patient, Safe Place 4, Spoor 3,
Striking Looks 1
Atavisms:Cyclopean Strength, Heart of the Ocean,
Looming Presence, Monster From the Deep, Needs
Must, Storm-Lashed
Nightmares:Behold My True Form!, Fear Is
Contagious, They Are All Around You, You Are Not
Alone, You Deserve This
Lair:10 (Decayed, Flooded, Fog, Heavy, Maze, Poor
Light, Undergrowth)
Health:9 (19)
Willpower:6
Satiety:4
Size:5 (15 when in his Beast shape)
Speed:17
Initiative:11 (21 with Uncanny Speed)
Defense:11
Armor:10 (0 against Anathema)
Beast Shapes:Impenetrable Skin, Legendary Size,
Piercing Sight, Splinter, Terrible Mein, Uncanny Speed
the silver bay serpent 79
 KIELE KANO
THE SKY CRAWLER
<The swift unspooling of silken threads, faint against the silence>
Background
As a child, Kiele Kano had an insect collection that she
loved to display under glass. She kept a pet tarantula in a tank
and liked to watch it eat. Her teachers called her observant,
but her classmates called her a snoop. She had a long and ac-
curate memory, and was unfairly accused of cheating on exams
more than once simply because she remembered her studies
perfectly. Kiele wasnt popular, but she didnt much mind; the
more people avoided her, the more opportunities she had to
inspect them from afar.
By high school, she was no longer inspecting them alone,
as her best friend Desiree joined her in all things. The two of
them made up stories together about the people they watched,
imagining they held precious secrets that could destroy lives
or win them fame and fortune. One day, when a group of
angry girls cornered Kiele in the locker room and demanded
to know what private knowledge shed stolen from them, she
was bewildered until one let slip that Desiree had told them
about Kieles pastime spying on everyone, conveniently leaving
herself out of the picture.
Kiele confronted Desiree later, who insisted it was just a
joke. By the end of the conversation, she convinced Kiele to
drop the matter entirely, and soon the two were thick as thieves
once again. Years later, when Kieles nightmares began and her
work at college suffered, her now-roommate Desiree was the
one in whom she confided. She was a highly inquisitive con-
fidant, asking for every detail of the dreams again and again,
and offering interpretations and suggestions for staving them
off. Kiele tried them all, but nothing worked.
In her dreams, she stood at the front of a distended lecture
hall naked and confused under a spotlight with all eyes upon
her from all directions. A thousand faceless people stared and
stared, consuming everything she was. Only their eyes were
visible in their silent transgression. They werent supposed to
be looking, but they did look, and she was helpless to escape
their attention. When she finally realized it was she who saw
them as they truly were, and all they saw was an illusion she
wore to cover her true nature, she ripped the eyes from their
faces, clothing her body with them like a suit, and in that instant
she was Devoured. She became the spider queen of 1,000 orbs,
building lofty webs and seeing everything.
Kiele told Desiree about this, too, trusting her truest com-
panion implicitly. She explained her need to find bad people to
80 CHAPTER TWO: BEASTS
punish for their dark secrets, just like they used to pretend, and
took the encouragement she received to heart. She pursued her
Hunger enthusiastically, believing she could teach wrongdoers
to straighten out and improve their lives.
Desiree had her own secrets, though, and she wasnt shar-
ing. The night Kiele transformed from human to Beast, her best
friend was dreaming her own Primordial dreams, and felt the
transformation like a slap to the face. Desiree spent several years
trying to ignore her instincts, but every day, in her eyes, Kiele
was more the Horror and less the person she had known for so
long. Eventually, she bought a gun and hid it in anticipation of
a time when she would need to take action. It all fell apart the
night the two couldnt agree on who deserved Kieles preda-
tions. The Beast was famished and couldnt wait any longer to
feed, but Desiree had stood by long enough. As Kiele turned
her back on the Hero to take to the streets, a gunshot sounded
from far too close by. Reeling with shock and pain, she escaped
to her Lair to recover, and never went back home again.
Kiele wanted to forgive the one shed long considered a
sister, but resentment burned cold inside her arachnid heart
not just for Desiree, but for herself. For all her 1,000 eyes, shed
been blind to the enemy plotting right there inside her web the
whole time. She needed to punish Desiree for her transgression,
but knew that as she was, she could never bring herself to face
her own best friend wielding weapons against her. She had to
transform again, to shed her human weaknesses. She had to
set her Horror free. For the first time, she went on a senseless
rampage, feeding indiscriminately on anyone she could get her
fangs on. Once her Horror was sated, she retreated back to her
Lair and then retreated from the world. The Sky Crawler was
born, and its first act was to find Desiree and make her pay.
Description
The Sky Crawler gets its name from its propensity for
building webs high in the shadows and watching, waiting, until
the time is ripe to strike. To satisfy its ban, it flits from dream
to dream searching for those who keep dark secrets from their
friends and loved ones, and those who betray trusts. Once it
zeroes in on a victim, it slips through the cracks in her dream
into Twilight so that it can stalk her unseen to learn the depths
of her crimes. Having gathered all the intelligence it needs to
pass judgment, it appears to the victim in her vulnerable mo-
ments to terrify her, and then it fully materializes to trap and eat
her as final punishment, if it finds her sins offensive enough.
The Horror isnt picky about who it hunts, and even feeds on even walk on liquid surfaces and skim the edges of gaseous
Beasts who engage in deceit and treachery. It does seem to have substances like smoke, mist, or clouds, as long as its in the
a proclivity for Heroes, but never materializes near them and Primordial Dream. It spins its webs with bloated spinnerets
only ever feeds on them in dreams, to avoid its bane. While in that seem much too large for its body, and while the webbing
Twilight, it intimidates small insect spirits into serving as its feels silken at first, those encased in it soon discover that the
eyes and ears, traveling far and wide to gather news and rumors Sky Crawler spins webs of viscid human hair. When it feeds,
that they whisper to it like soothing songs. it emits a keening screech that sounds like a human scream.
Beasts who encounter or seek the Sky Crawler can try to
tempt it into allying temporarily with them to harry and Rumors
weaken a Hero. It refuses to work with anyone, Beware the great Sky Crawler, servant of Fate,
Beast or otherwise, guilty of hiding important bane of the wicked. It walks on the underside of the sky
truths or betraying his companions, and and combs the stars for tales of human treachery. If it
takes offense at such an offer, attacking doesnt like what it reads there, it descends from the
immediately. It occasionally assents to heavens on threads of starfire to devour you whole.
working with Beasts against other If you are one of the wicked, do not dare to
types of traitors, but its much eas- dream, for in dreams its greatest power is
ier to convince it that a Hero revealed.
is worthy of its time. Beasts
who themselves run afoul By ascribing the Horrors
of the Sky Crawlers ban hunt to some larger power
and become its prey like destiny or a god, peo-
have the best chance ple convince themselves
of survival if they that its actions hold
get their hands greater meaning,
on a Heros preserving their
blood, but belief in a sen-
the attempt sible, ordered
puts them in an universe. While
unenviable spot the Sky Crawler
between two powerful can, and does,
enemies. traverse the skies
along the bot-
The Sky toms of clouds
Crawler appears in the Primordial
as an enor- Dream, it certain-
mous spider, ly reads nothing in
ancient and the stars and has no
terrible, with particular power
far too many to divine the
eyes:1,000 of future. It is sim-
them, in clus- ply a prodigious
ters all over spy with access to
its body. If Twilight and a view
any are destroyed, into human dreams that
it regrows them as it ceaselessly punishes because
licks its wounds until it it must.
has exactly 1,000 again.
The eyes, slick with trans- She ascended beyond our
lucent slime and black as mid- kind to dwell wholly in the
night, are each as big around as Primordial Dream as the Dark
a persons fist and can rotate 360 Mother once did, but keeps her
degrees, giving the Horror a chilling many eyes on the world. She slips
ability to see in every direction at all through to snare people and Beasts alike in her questing webs and
times. Its fangs are razor sharp, dripping with bile that smells takes them away, deep into the Dream, to rot in her Lair until they
of gunpowder, reminding it always of the first betrayal that set become shadows to do her bidding.
it on its path. Its eight massive legs are covered in coarse black Beasts pass along stories of the Sky Crawler in hushed
hair, and it can climb any surface, hanging upside down from tones, an omniscient elder sibling that punishes its little broth-
horizontal ceilings as easily as strolling down a street. It can ers and sisters when they misbehave. It does sometimes capture

the sky crawler 81


STORY HOOKS
A brood shares the unsettling experience of see-
ing a mass of shining black eyes watching them
from the shadows wherever they go. Wherever
the eyes appear, they find a Hero not far behind
sometimes hunting them, sometimes unaware
of their presence. After some investigation, the
brood discovers that the Unfettered wants their
help to punish the Hero and fulfill its Hunger
without getting too close to it. If they agree, they
can dispose of the Hero themselves or put him
to sleep and let the Sky Crawler deal with him in
dreams, but taking the latter route doesnt satisfy
the Horror for long and it comes back for more
soon after. If they refuse, the Sky Crawler views
the refusal as a betrayal of their kinship and hunts
them instead.
A changeling approaches the characters with
a strange tale. She says that in trying to pull a
regular nightmare from a dreamers mind, she
accidentally pulled out the image of something
else, something she sensed was infinitely larger
and more terrifying than a mere dream actor. She
doesnt want to run into it while dream-delving
and she especially doesnt want it to notice her,
so she seeks the Beasts help investigating what it
wants and how to best avoid or appease it.
A Hero is on the broods trail, but its not like any
kind of Hero they have dealt with before its
a dead one. Desirees ghost hounds them with
strange abilities ghosts shouldnt have, like an
uncanny knack for tracking them down. Doing
their homework reveals to the brood that this
ghost Hero isnt just here for kicks:Shes trying
to find closure for failing to kill Kiele when she
had the chance. The characters can discover the
pairs tragic story and put Desirees spirit to rest,
but doing so inevitably finds them crossing paths
with the Sky Crawler.
prey instead of eating it, usually to drag people into nightmares and
leave them there, unable to move, until they madden and die, or
confess their greatest crimes. The rumor about turning people into
shadows is a false explanation for how the Unfettered knows so
much about everyone it comes across.
A monster lives here. Youd never know it if it found you, though,
not until its too late. It appears to you as a dark-eyed man or woman.
It seduces you into betraying everything and everyone you love, until
youve given all of yourself to it. Then it drinks your blood, your pain, and
everything else, and leaves your empty husk behind for your scorned family
to find.
This rumor is the product of confused stories that come out
of an area where the Sky Crawler and a vampire compete for food.
People know they find victims drained of blood, and they know
that something makes their friends and lovers turn against them
for what seems like no reason. The latter problem stems from the
82 CHAPTER TWO: BEASTS
Horror using its Influence to intensify smaller betrayals that already
stir in peoples minds, though the Influence isnt powerful enough
to create them from nothing. The rest is hearsay and speculation
turned into whispered warnings over beers at the local bars.
My Mastigos buddy told me a real doozy the other day. There he
is, traversing the Temenos, minding his own business, when he runs across
what he thinks is your run of the mill nightmare goetia. He figures he can
handle it. Boy is he wrong! It traps him in its web and scares the shit out
of him, til he spills all his secrets. Stuff hes never told anyone. He said hes
never seen anything like that monstrosity, and he thinks its still following
him around even now. He thinks its an acamoth and the Abyss is seeping
into the Astral, but the way he said itit sounded kind of familiar. Like
Ive had that dream before, you know? Maybe we all have.
The mage who originally told this story was either confused
or he lied. The Sky Crawler has no way to enter the Temenos. The
story itself, though, is true:The Mastigos somehow found his way
from the Temenos to the Primordial Dream in his Astral travels
and encountered the Unfettered on its home turf. His assumption
that it was an Astral native cost him the victory, as his magic didnt
function like he thought it would. The Horror didnt like what it
learned from him there and stalks him still from Twilight.
Legend:Unforgiving
Rank:3
Attributes:Power 7, Finesse 8, Resistance 5
Corpus:15
Willpower:10
Essence:25
Size:10
Speed:25
Initiative:13
Defense:7
Influences:Fear , Betrayal
Numina:Awe, Drain, Entrap (below), Invade Dream,
Nightmare Weaponry (Fangs), Omen Trance
Manifestations:Image, Materialize, Nightmare
Apparition, Twilight Form
Ban:The Sky Crawler must punish those with dark secrets.
What constitutes a dark secret is often up to interpretation,
but if the target believes he has committed an act he needs to
keep secret, the Sky Crawler has a compulsion to punish him.
Bane:If the blood of a Hero touches the Sky Crawler, she
loses access to any of her Numina or Manifestation effects.
Notes:The Sky Crawlers Entrap Numen uses sticky web-
bing made from human hair, thin but unyielding.
Numen:Entrap
The spirit uses ooze, webbing, tentacles bursting forth from the
ground, a heavy weight, or even an arresting voice to stop
its quarry in her tracks from a distance. This Numen costs 2
Essence to activate and is contested by the victims Dexterity +
Supernatural Tolerance. If the spirit succeeds, one opponent
within a number of yards equal to the spirits Finesse suffers
the Immobilized Tilt with a -4 penalty; the Durability of the
item holding her is equal to the spirits Rank + 1 for every
2 additional Essence spent, and the spirit is free to take other
actions while its prey is restrained.
 ALVIN ZANE
SLIMY LOBBYIST
Youll spend tonight at a luxury hotel playing a game involving lines of white
powder, a $100 bill, and a woman young enough to be your daughter. Whether
or not the police catch you in the act depends on whether you convince the
committee to send this anti-drug bill to the Senate floor today.
Background
Alvin Zanes great grandfather was a steel baron who made
his fortune during the early 20th century. His grandfather sold
his stake in Zane Steel and used the proceeds to create Zane
Plastics, which swelled the family fortune even more. His parents
began investing heavily in robotics and computer companies
when those technologies were still largely unknown outside of
science fiction. By the time Alvin was born in 1966, his parents
fortune exceeded a billion dollars.
Alvins parents spent very little time managing their
empire. His father often joked that they spent more time writ-
ing checks to their favorite charities than sitting in on board
meetings. They were noted philanthropists who made large
donations to the colleges, art institutes, and charities that served
the people of Chicago. They also made significant donations to
candidates for political office and were active in the local politi-
cal scene, and young Alvin grew up watching these interactions
with great interest.
Alvins parents did everything they could to foster a close
relationship with their son. His mother helped him with his
homework. His father took him camping. They took him to
church every Sunday and on trips all over the world every
summer. They shared their love of music, art, and books. They
worked to teach him self-control and humility even as they
lavished him with praise and showered him with gifts.
In spite of all that, Alvin never really loved them the way
he knew they deserved. He watched other childrens faces
light up when a father picked them up from school. He saw
kids cry piteously when they thought a mother had left them
behind. Many of his peers had parents who were too busy to
come to every school play and band concert. A few even had
abusive mothers or fathers who never failed to belittle them.
Yet, all his classmates still loved their parents and yearned for
their approval. Alvin simply didnt, and that knowledge pained
him tremendously. He suffered the same sense of disconnec-
tion in all his relationships. People were just an arrangement
of knobs and levers to him, and if you pulled this one you got
that reaction.
In an art class during his senior year of high school, Alvin
found himself staring at a picture of a weeping saint kneeling
at the bottom of a pit. A hideous creature with a lions body, a
humans face, and a scorpions tail stood behind him. He read
the caption, which explained that it was a depiction of Jerimiah,
the weeping prophet who saw his nations downfall ahead and
failed to convince the stubborn kings and priests to do anything
to stop it. No one really knew how medieval artists had come to
associate him with the manticore, since the monster was best
known for eating people.
Alvin couldnt shake the manticore from his mind. It
began to haunt his dreams. Sometimes it pounced on him,
pinning him to the earth and baring its fangs inches from his
face. Other times he was the manticore, stinging fallen prey
with his tail before eating them. Many nights he whispered in
the ears of those who coveted power and offered it to them in
exchange for obedience. If they accepted this offer, he would
drive them to increasingly terrible acts of depravity until their
actions finally destroyed them. As with the traditional deal with
the Devil, once the manticores victim sealed her bargain with
it, she could not renege.
The night before his 18th birthday, Alvin had his most vivid
dream yet. In it, the manticore offered him a choice:his life as
it already was or the life of a monster. Even knowing that he
could not take back his decision, Alvin didnt hesitate before
choosing the monster. A life spent stripping the power-hungry
of their power wasnt exactly the sort of vocation his parents
and school guidance counselor would have chosen for him, but
he knew it suited him perfectly.
Gaining a Foothold
Alvin spent the next six years integrating himself into
Chicagos political machinery while studying law at the
University of Chicago. Through trial and error, he also learned
how to feed his hunger for power. At first, he tried to make
meals of his peers as they competed with him to canvass neigh-
borhoods and register voters, but Alvin ultimately found these
meals unsatisfying except when he was starving. Most of them
were volunteers or low-paid workers, after all, so they didnt
have a strong need to compete with Alvin. Those were lean
years, and twice his Horror attracted the attention of Heroes
he only narrowly eluded.
It wasnt until he started building a reputation as a cam-
slimy lobbyist 83
 paign manager that Alvin was able to feed regularly. Defeating
his candidates political rivals and leaving their careers and lives
in tattered, scandal-plagued ruins kept the Horror from hunting
prey on its own, but he longed for more. Then, when he was
35, both his parents died in a car accident, leaving Alvin the
sole heir of the Zane fortune.
With nearly unlimited capital at his disposal, Alvin
came into his own as a Beast. He contributed to
political campaigns and manipulated circumstances
to put his prey into office. Then he would threaten
to withhold further contributions unless they used
the powers of their offices the way he demanded of
them. Some balked, but more than enough
caved to provide Alvin with a steady
food supply. Whenever he felt a
little peckish, he would show
up in a politicians office and
make outrageous demands
to remind her of her relative
powerlessness. If the loss of
a wealthy donor wasnt a
strong enough threat, Alvin
could trot out blackmail eas-
ily enough.
Over the last 20 years,
Alvin has mastered his feed-
ing technique. He runs at
least six different PACs and
Super PACs and boasts that
half the elected officials in the
state owe their allegiance to him.
Alvin pays particular attention to
ambitious politicians whose views
are strongly opposed to his own,
but who are careless about accepting
campaign donations. Perhaps once an
election cycle, he picks one of these rising
stars as his special prey. He funnels huge
campaign contributions into the politi-
cians coffers and buys prime advertising
spots in support of his victims candidacy.
If the candidate wins the election and most
of the time he does Alvin approaches his
prey in private and offers his congratula-
tions. A few weeks later, the Beast starts
making requests support this bill,
throw that case out of court, or press
charges against that company.
At first, his requests are all things
the victim was planning to do anyway.
Then Alvin starts inviting the
prey to fine restaurants and
top tier golf courses, or he
starts showing up at events his
victim is hosting. Once in the
presence of his prey, Alvin doesnt hesitate to
use Nightmares to ensure future meetings. As time goes on, the
Beasts requests become more troubling. The prey must propose
or pass legislation that is a veritable parody of his political views.
A fierce proponent of gun rights proposes a budget that includes
supplying schools with enough guns and body armor for every
teacher and child, or a small government state governor
vetoes every piece of legislation that crosses his desk.
At the same time, Alvins private meetings with the
victim take on a darker cast, increasingly involving
crimes ranging from petty theft and illegal drug use to
embezzlement and sex crimes to armed robbery and
murder. This continues to escalate and continues
to feed the Beast until the victim is either ar-
rested or resigns in disgrace.
In the last 20 years, only three of
Alvins victims have killed themselves as
they realized how bleak their situation
had become, and one of those killed his
whole family before he turned the gun
on himself. In the past, Alvin regarded
these as something of a disappoint-
ment. Early in his career, whenever
he felt a need to feed that he couldnt
immediately satisfy, visiting his prey
in jail either with offers to help
her get out of jail or with assur-
ances that that she will never feel
the sun on her face again when
he has finished could take the
edge off his Hunger. Alvin hasnt
needed to do that in years, though.
Alvin has been at this game for
20 years and has grown fat on his
victims fears, first of losing the power
they coveted and then of losing their
freedom, their loved ones, and possibly
their lives. The last several years have been
especially good to him. Changes to election
laws have made it even easier for him to mask
his financial connection to all the political
organizations that exist to feed his Hunger. Even
those politicians who suspect he would love to see
their electoral aspirations burn around them find it
nearly impossible to guess which anonymous donor
is actually Alvin. He doesnt hesitate to exploit this
loophole. After all, politicians who dont want to be
the prey of a manticore shouldnt offer their services
to every stranger who offers them money. Once
theyve taken Alvins money, the contract is
signed, and its too late to haggle over its terms.
Description
Alvin Zane is a fat, balding white man in his late 50s. His
skin and hair have a greasy sheen to them, and anyone standing
close will catch a whiff of old sweat. This is true even if he just
stepped out of the shower. His clothes are expensive but invari-

84 CHAPTER TWO: BEASTS

ably damaged. If he puts on a tailored new suit at seven in the
morning, for example, every staple, nail, screw, or pen finds a
way to tear, puncture, or stain it beyond recognition by noon.
He can seem a bit reclusive, and most people become well-acquaint-
ed with his money and his staff long before they meet the Beast in per-
son. Alvin is convincing, but he tends to be bad at making arguments
that appeal to emotion. If he cant win someone over with reason alone,
he tends to default to one of two modes generosity or intimidation.
If hes pretty sure neither approach will work, he excuses himself at the
earliest opportunity.
Despite his unshakable emotional detachment and his
Hunger, Alvin remains fairly true to his upbringing. Like his
parents, his politics are fairly liberal, and most of his victims are
of a conservative bent the better to discredit their political views
in the eyes of the voting public. Moreover, while he freely admits
that hes a monster, he still feels that he serves God by humbling
those who succumb to pride and using their fates to warn others
about the hazards of seeking temporal power. He continues to carry
the banner of his parents philanthropy, and although he is by no
means gentle with his prey, the city would miss his charity work
if ever Alvin suddenly vanished. The fact that he is an unmarried
billionaire with no children of his own has only made him more
eager to give away his money to the causes he supports.
Once his prey accepts his money, Alvin rarely gives up the
hunt, but endeavors to make two exceptions:First, if the victim
returns the money within 10 days, Alvin considers the contract
between them null and void. Most of the time, the Beasts prey has
no idea who is supporting her campaign until its too late, but it
has been known to happen. Second, if the victim refuses to obey an
order but manages to weather all the threats, blackmail, subpoenas,
fake evidence of wrongdoing, and supernatural powers the Beast
brings to bear against him, Alvin has the grace to consider himself
bested and does not manipulate the politician further. This is prob-
ably impossible for anyone who does not have supernatural allies
in her corner, but Alvin conceded defeat once last term. Come
the next election cycle, though, you can expect hell try again, and
this time hell be calling in a few favors of his own.
Local, State, or National Stage?
This writeup assumes Alvin Zane is a regional power, but
his reach can be as short or long as the storyteller needs it to
be. In a chronicle focused on the events of a single city, Zane
might be a major power behind the throne within that city. If
the scale of the story is much larger than that, he could hold an
entire nations politicians hostage (although a commensurate
increase in power is probably appropriate in that case).
Rumors
Welcome to Zaneland, the best feeding ground this side of the
Mississippi! Breathe deep. You can practically smell the fear and des-
peration of the people who live here. If there is an earthly paradise for

STORY HOOKS
A gunman goes on a shooting spree in a public place where the characters happen to be at the time. Before they
have time to react, the shooter fires on police who gun him down. The killer turns out to be State Representative
Robert Butler, a legislator well known for his vocal opposition to gun control measures. Even before the public has
time to absorb these events, however, Freedom From Fear PAC issues a strongly-worded demand that the state
legislature take up a bill to weaken existing gun control laws ostensibly in hopes of preventing such tragedies in
the future. At the same time, Citizens for Public Safety insinuates that supernatural creatures in the area used mind-
control powers to provoke Representative Butlers rampage in order to feed their twisted Hungers. The characters
soon come under suspicion and must go to ground to avoid being used as supporting evidence for House Bill
2835. Complicating matters, one of the victims killed in the shooting had a powerful supernatural patron who
wants revenge on the characters.
One of Alvin Zanes representatives approaches the characters and requests their assistance. It seems that after
years of playing politics from the shadows, Zane has decided to run for governor, and he wants the characters
help. Why the sudden interest in public office? Alvin claims that he hopes to redeem himself after decades of put-
ting demagogues into positions of power by seizing the governors mansion and using his political influence to re-
pair the damage he has done. Considering his unsavory reputation among voters, however, he fears that the dirty
campaign tactics he has deployed for the last 20 years might not be enough to defeat his opponent, and he hopes
the characters will help tip the scales in his favor. They would not be working for free, of course. Zane already
wields so much power that he can give the characters just about anything they might want up to and including
protection from the strictures of House Bill 2835.
Rumor has it that Alvin Zane has his sights set on becoming Incarnate. In the process of expanding his Legend,
he has managed to piss off just about every supernatural creature in the state. While no one really wants Alvin to
achieve his goal, he has already become too entrenched to simply topple. However, money is the source of the
lobbyists power, and stripping him of his wealth is a sure means to disable and destroy him. A supernatural ally
of the characters who is in on the secret invites them to join the conspiracy to part Zane from his money. This might
involve con artistry, hacking bank accounts, blackmail, or any other means at their disposal. They can run these
scams on their own or team up with other conspirators. Unbeknownst to the characters and their allies, the conspir-
acy is a tool in the hands of one of Alvin Zanes oldest rivals one who hopes to fill the power vacuum left behind
when the lobbyists empire finally collapses.

slimy lobbyist 85
 those like us, this is it. The hunting is rich, and local law enforcement
is so gormless and poorly funded that you can tear a mans throat out
with your teeth and never see the inside of a police car, much less a
jail cell. Just one warning:Steer clear of local politics until you know
what youre doing. Yeah, the politicians are all narcissistic demagogues
so corrupt that they practically leave a trail of slime behind them when
they walk, but Boss Zane owns half of them. Trust me. You dont
want to get on his bad side.
Alvin selects politicians he thinks he can control once they
are in power. In most cases, this means ones he can bribe, black-
mail, or coerce into doing whatever he says. Although using smear
campaigns, push polls, mudslinging, racebaiting, and fearmonger-
ing to get his prey into office has ensured a steady supply of food,
Alvin has become a victim of his own success. In order to satisfy
his Hunger, he has spent decades putting despicable people into
power. Worse, the success of his prey has inspired imitators who
have made the heated rhetoric and extreme policies a fixture of
the states political backdrop.
Alvins predations have made the lives of ordinary people
in the region noticeably worse. Citing the states increasingly
unstable economy and troubling social climate, business interests
and skilled workers have been fleeing for years. They have left
behind an impoverished and hopeless electorate with a high
violent crime rate. These social ills have attracted any number
of supernatural predators, including other Beasts, vampires, and
spirits that feed on suffering.
My connection to Alvin Zane? I only met him once, back when
I was running for a seat in the state House, to thank him for his
PACs generous contribution to my campaign. We talked policy for
a bit, which was awkward because I disagree with the candidates he
usually supports on pretty much every issue, but then he got this pen-
sive look on his face. You seem like a nice guy, he says to me. Why
do you want to get into politics? So, I told him about my immigrant
father and my high school civics teacher and how I think our state
needs to turn itself around. I mentioned how much my mother had ad-
mired Alvins parents, and I guess it got pretty personal. Mr. Zane sat
there quietly and let me talk. When I was done, he says to me, If you
accept my campaign contribution, I expect you to pass legislation for
me that will keep you up at night. I need to know you will do whatev-
er it takes to earn my support. That sounded shady to me, so I asked
for clarification. He told me that my first test would be to skin my pet
dog alive and then eat its heart raw. I was shocked, horrified. He says,
If you arent willing to play ball, Jeff, then give me back my money. Beasts and the other cousins of the Children make convenient
So, I called my campaign manager and did just that. I lost that race,
but guess who threw his support behind my opponent? I dont think
my rival ever had a dog, but his son died in a freak accident, right? No
matter how crazy it sounds, I cant help but wonder whether that was
just the price of accepting the support of Alvin Zane.
Alvin is a fierce proponent of teaching humanity that it is
dangerous to accept gifts from strangers. He also believes that a
Beasts lessons should instruct everyone who learns of her fate and
not just the victim. If a politician rides dirty campaign money to
victory and passes laws that actively harm his constituents, only
to be forced to resign in disgrace in the wake of scandal, it tells
humans that to accept money is to be enslaved by the one offer-
ing it. It is not enough to punish only the greedy and ambitious,
86 CHAPTER TWO: BEASTS
though, so Alvin occasionally supports earnest, virtuous, and
seemingly incorruptible prey. As his victim becomes as dirty and
contemptuous of the will of her constituents as every politician
she railed against on the campaign trail, the voters follow the trail
of money that leads to the same backers as all the other parasiti-
cal politicians in the state. The lesson is that money makes the
beneficiary the puppet of her benefactor and no matter how
well-intentioned she might be, she dances when he plays her tune.
Although he wont admit it, the truth is that Alvin uses his
Hunger to promote a mundane political agenda. He supports
politicians whose positions he abhors because he knows what will
happen to them when he feasts upon their powerlessness. High
profile scandals and gross abuses of power dont just end the
careers of Alvins victims. They call into question the very poli-
cies those disgraced politicians supported, making all who claim
to support similar positions look bad by extension. Sometimes
Alvin deliberately scares off a potential victim because her fall
from grace wont further his real agenda.
As much as I admire what he has built, Alvin Zane has finally
flipped his shit. His new PAC, Citizens for Public Safety, has not only
convinced the governor that supernatural creatures exist but that they
must be eradicated. If House Bill 2835 soars through Zanes well-oiled
political machine the way its expected to, our paradise will soon be a
police state ubiquitous surveillance, arrest warrants for anyone even
suspected of possessing occult connections, and literal bounties on the
head of anyone who fails to meekly show up in court on the appointed
day. I hear his PAC is supplying intelligence to monster hunters like
the Barrett Commission, the Union, and even fucking Taskforce
V.A.L.K.Y.R.I.E. so they can exterminate us. Its also secured pledges
of financial support from Deva Corporation, which apparently wants
to set up some sort of regional headquarters somewhere in the state.
This last decade has been really great, but Im getting out now before
Zane gives my address to the first Hero who sniffs around the capital.
Alvin Zane has set wheels into motion to expose, drive out,
or destroy all the Children in his territory. Some Beasts argue
that he simply cant stand the thought of having competition.
After all, others of his kind have carved out feeding grounds by
following his example, and clashes between PACs have grown
more common. While there is some truth to that, mostly Zane
hates that occult parasites have come to regard his constituents
as easy pickings. He refuses to believe that his political empire
has caused so much damage to the state he loves, and so rival
scapegoats for his frustration. The path ahead will eventually spell
doom for Zane, but he stands to cause a lot of damage before a
rival Beast, the local wizards, a random Hero, or any of a thou-
sand other enemies he has made over the last two decades finally
manages to take him down. No one wants to speak the obvious
question, though:Who or what will fill the power vacuum Alvin
Zane leaves behind?
Legend:Seductive
Life:Altruistic
Family:Namtaru
Hunger:Tyrant
Mental Attributes:Intelligence 3, Wits 3, Resolve 2
Physical Attributes:Strength 2, Dexterity 3, Stamina 2
Social Attributes:Presence 4, Manipulation 6,
Composure 4
Mental Skills:Academics 2, Investigation 2, Occult 2,
Politics (Dirty) 5
Physical Skills:Athletics 3, Brawl 3, Larceny 1
Social Skills:Expression 2, Intimidation (Blackmail) 3,
Persuasion 3, Socialize 2, Streetwise (Illicit Entertainment)
2, Subterfuge 5
Merits:Allies (Police) 2, Allies (Politicians) 3, Epic
Potential (Manipulation), Fast-Talking 5, Resources 5,
Spoor 3, Staff (Politicians) 1
Atavisms:Basilisks Touch, Eye of Heaven, Looming
JANICE ESTERHAUS
TEARS ON THE SAND
<Sounds of growling and scrabbling, a half-grunt and
half-warning bark from a dark building.>
Background
Life was never kind to Janice Esterhaus, who would eventu-
ally become the Beast Rampant, Tears on the Sand.
She was born the sixth of eight children to a deeply reli-
gious family on the East Coast of the United States. Janices
parents believed in discipline for disciplines sake, and Janice
was punished harshly, even as a toddler, for what might be just
a minor infraction in another family such as crying, fidgeting,
eating too little, eating too much, or refusing to immediately
obey an order from her parents.
Though the pastor often preached the virtue of family
togetherness from the pulpit of the church Janices family at-
tended, there was little warmth in the Esterhaus household.
Janices mother was preoccupied with her obligations to seven
other children, and her father spent most of his time away from
home, working to support his ever-growing family. As a result,
young Janice had even more difficulty forming bonds than
other young Begotten often do. Nothing in her life supported
her social development, and Janice grew up feeling as though
crippling loneliness was the normal way of things.
Janices sense of isolation only increased as she grew from
childhood into adolescence. Seemingly incapable of forming a
sincere connection with her family members, Janice found she
could only get attention by misbehaving and demanding punish-
ment. Her mother would not speak to her except to criticize,
and her father would not touch her except to punish. While
Presence, Unbreakable
Nightmares:Run Away, You Are Alone, You Are Better
Than Them (Mage), You Cant Wake Up
Lair:5
Health:7
Willpower:6
Satiety:9
Size:5 (10 with Looming Presence)
Speed:10
Initiative:6
Defense:6
Armor:3/2 (see also Unbreakable)
Notes:The Staff Merit is found on p. 56 of the
Chronicles of Darkness Rulebook.
her siblings were friendly enough with each other, Janice could
not interact with any of them without somehow provoking a
fight. Which, in turn, would only bring more punishment down
on her small head. Janice didnt necessarily want this kind of
treatment; it was merely the only way she knew how to interact
with her parents and siblings. Keeping to the rules just meant
her family would ignore and neglect her.
A lonely child, her teenage years became a special kind of
hell for Janice. Her parents insisted on homeschooling all of
their children through elementary school, only allowing them
to attend public school starting in the ninth grade. By the time
Janice grew old enough to enter high school, not only did she
possess sub-par academic skills, her social skills were virtually
nonexistent. Her other siblings had helped each other through
the transition from homeschooling to public education, but
Janice had no one who looked out for her to that extent. One
brother made sure she knew where her classes were, but made
little effort beyond that.
All Janice had were the tactics shed honed over her
years of being a reluctant problem child. Though her teachers
were initially willing to help the pitiful, isolated girl, Janice
quickly burned through their goodwill by repeatedly acting out.
Detention wasnt much of a deterrent Janice found she liked
having a few quiet hours to herself, and would sometimes de-
liberately break a rule or two in order to avoid going home. She
would earn another punishment, but she knew how to handle that.
Discovering track and field improved life for Janice, but only
tears on the sand 87
 marginally. Shed always been naturally athletic, but her stunted Janice sought a validation and sense of completeness in her
social skills meant she wasnt well-suited for team sports. Track and dreams that the waking world denied her. Her Horror found her
field, however, emphasized individual achievement. Even when quickly, an ancient Tyrant known as Tears in the Dark who thrived
Janice participated in team events like relay races, she still had to on the bitter tears of the penitent. Janice welcomed her Devouring
rely only on herself. Janice took to the sport like a fish to water, with open arms, ecstatic to finally feel like a whole person.
excelling rapidly and grateful to have another excuse to keep Once Janice accepted her spiritual heritage as an Anakim
her from going home. Nemesis, she began to feel herself free from any sense of
Her teachers were thrilled that their ugly duckling ethical or moral obligations. She started breaking more
had finally bloomed into a swan, one capable of running rules at a rapid pace:smoking, drinking, shoplifting, lying,
a seven-minute mile. However, Janices parents were less and picking brawls with her classmates. The penalties
than pleased with these developments. The track handed down by her parents and teachers had little
uniforms were immodest, athletic pursuits were to no effect now.
unseemly for a young woman, and Janices By night, Janice would deal out punishment
small collection of medals and trophies only to those who she believed had most grievously
encouraged the worldly sin of pride. wronged her. Her father was both her first victim
Janice only completed one year of track and her first kill. Janices Horror took a special
and field before her parents forced her to quit. delight in breaking him down, night after slow
The fight that preceded her quitting was night. Eventually, he simply went to sleep one
epic, though Janices coach tried to come night and did not wake up. Not only the murder,
to her defense. In response, but the absolute lack of suspicion on Janice,
Janice stopped acting out empowered her further.
merely as a strategy to get Free of her fathers abuse,
attention. Instead, she Janice still had to contend with the
now misbehaved as a mortal world. Now a widow, Janices
way to get revenge mother gave up trying to control her wild
on the parents who daughter. Instead, she used part of
had taken away the her husbands life insurance to pay
only thing she ever for Janice to attend A New Start
really loved and for Troubled Teens. Half reform
felt she was good school and half summer camp located
at doing. in the desert of New Mexico, the
Of course, her par- program promised to take wayward
ents werent pleased with youths and put them on the straight
Janices growing sinfulness, and narrow.
and their punishments For a teenager brought to A New
increased in severity and Start, life is utter misery. Even boot camp
frequency. Janice often has better conditions. The students,
went without food or or clients a euphemism the
spent her nights sleep- staff likes to use have every
ing in the cold garage minute of their day highly regu-
instead of her warm bed- lated. Privacy is nonexistent;
room and those were her even the showers are communal.
fathers mildest punishments. Education is minimal, as the
Her only escape came at night. clients spend most of their day
Janice dreamed of the day when on hard manual labor:digging
the tables might turn, when she ditches, building fences, haul-
would be the one dealing out the ing rocks, or cleaning the camp
punishment rather than suffering buildings. Those who break any
it. She dreamed of being bigger and of the camps myriad of small
stronger than everyone, of forcing rules are denied sleep, meals, or
them to love her and do what she said. even water (a dire prospect in
Alternately thrilled and disturbed by her dreams, New Mexico).
Janice couldnt quite let go of the fantasies of control
Had her mother known
and power. She started sleeping as much as possible to
what would come next, she likely
hang onto these alluring dreams, but that only earned her
would have done her best to keep her
chastisement for laziness.
daughter from ever hearing of A New

88 CHAPTER TWO: BEASTS

Start, much less sending her there in an attempt to reform her.
Janice, initially resistant to the idea, found she loved the camp
once she arrived. Three barracks full of angry, rebellious teens kept
in line by an underpaid staff of barely-competent bullies were as a
banquet to her. Tears in the Dark feasted again and again, finding
ample petty tyrannies to punish.
Janice made her first and only real friend during this time
in her life, another supernatural creature named Madeleine.
Madeleine had been exploring an abandoned zoo when she stepped
through the wrong doorway and ended up in Arcadia, becoming the
thrall of particularly cold and vicious True Fae who used Madeleine
as a human pet. Madeleine eventually escaped, but the experience
permanently altered her. Though Madeleine spent nearly a year
trapped in Arcadia, the outside world only missed her for a fortnight.
Understandably, Madeleine had difficulties adjusting to life
back in the mundane world, which earned her a trip to A New Start.
Initially, Madeleine hated the place, but meeting and befriending
Janice made the stay just a little more bearable for each girl. They re-
lied on each other to survive in the hostile environment, and helped
each other cope with being supernatural creatures in a world full of
decidedly nonmagical people. Madeleine remains the only person
to whom Janice was successfully able to form Family Ties with.
Unfortunately, while Janice was able to help Madeleine cope
with being a changeling, the reverse was not true. Madeleine, not
understanding the relationship a Beast has to her Horror, repeat-
edly gave Janice bad advice. She encouraged Janice to explore her
more supernatural side and pursue personal power. When Janice
followed this guidance, however, the Beast slowly lost her grip on
reality. The only thing Janice knew was that she didnt want to
leave. A plan came to her.
Miraculously, Janice began behaving at the camp at least on
the surface. Her apparent compliance was part of a long con that
achieved completion when Janice earned employment as a junior
counselor at A New Start. The facility managers enjoyed hiring
graduates of their program, those who had been through the expe-
rience and had a better handle on how to control younger, newer
students. Janice was a shoo-in for the position and quickly rose from
junior to senior counselor, and finally to staff counselor. Madeleine
stayed on as well, working hard to help and support her friend, and
feeling increasingly hurt that Janice seemed to no longer care for
her as she once had. Tears in the Dark was slowly gaining more and
more control over Janice, and she had little time for Madeleine.
Janice earned promotions in rapid sequence and Tears in the
Dark grew fat on punishment. Janices Lair quickly expanded to
cover the whole compound. Janice had never met another Beast,
and no one warned her about the dangers of letting ones Horror
have too much freedom. The more she fed her Horror, the harder
she found it to resist satiating it further, and the more power her
Horror gained over her.
Madeleine eventually realized that shed recommended Janice
follow a path which threatened her soul, and worked extremely hard
to try and pull Janice back from the precipice. But, her efforts were
in vain. Eventually, what remained of Janice Esterhaus was sub-
sumed by Tears in the Dark, and Janice became a Beast Rampant.
No longer known as Tears in the Dark, the newly-reborn entity goes
by the identity of Tears on the Sand.
Tears on the Sand no longer draws a paycheck from A New
Start, as they terminated Janice some time ago for presumed job
abandonment. She nevertheless thinks of the camp as hers; the
students and faculty alike treats for her to crack open and devour.
Shes out in the middle of nowhere, safe from any would-be Heroes.
Her victims are troubled teens, their stories of abuse and deprivation
easily dismissed as the stories crafted by young criminals trying to
avoid punishment.
Every 18 weeks, a new crop of potential victims arrives at A New
Start. Tears on the Sand likes to find the standouts the smartest,
the strongest, and the best-liked and break them down. She is
especially attracted to male petty tyrants and female mean girls, as
those two archetypes brought her so much suffering as a human.
Madeleine remains, a staff counselor plagued by guilt over
what she allowed to happen to her only friend. She understands
Tears on the Sands need to hunt and feed, and quietly arranges
available victims, covering up any suspicious injuries or illnesses.
Madeleine has a hard rule she has been able to make Tears on the
Sand understand no killing.
Description
Janice had a long, successful career at A New Start before suc-
cumbing to Tears in the Dark, and appears to be in her late 30s or
early 40s, though thats the only human aspect of her remaining.
Now Tears on the Sand stands nearly seven feet tall, built like a
cage fighter and covered with a thick, cracked skin that has more in
common with an alligator than a person. Her long, formerly-brown
hair is matted and coiled, turned the color of desert sand. Similarly,
her nails have grown into sharp, jagged talons. Tears on the Sand
vaguely remembers the use of clothes, and so wears little more than
the tattered, soiled remains of shirts and trousers stolen from her
prey. Tears on the Sand only bathes when it rains; as a result, the
first hint her victims have of her approach is often the smell.
Tears on the Sand prefers to stay out of sight, sleeping in a
storeroom that everyone knows not to go inside during the day.
At night, after lights out, Tears on the Sand emerges to hunt.
Her Inheritance has given her a preternatural sense of who has
broken the rules during the day, and she can zero in on a target
with little effort.
As for Madeleine to mortal eyes, she appears to be a mousy,
nervous, brown-haired woman, approximately the same age as Tears
on the Sand. However, other changelings (or those who can see past
the changelings Mask) recognize her as a Venombite Kith of the
Beast Seeming. As the nearest freehold is a two-hour drive away,
and Madeleine refuses to take so much time away from her friend,
she has not joined any Court, and is starved for companionship
as a result.
Madeleine usually wears khaki trousers and button-down
shirts, the general uniform for counselors employed by A New Start,
with her brown hair pinned back and minimal cosmetics or jewelry.
She avoids notice whenever possible, and attempts to quickly wrap
up any conversation someone else initiates with her. The only people
to whom Madeleine can truly open up are the students at A New
Start; the changeling can certainly empathize with their situation
as unwilling captives of forces beyond their control.
tears on the sand 89
 Though she works as a counselor, Madeleines biggest priority
is protecting her old friend. She lies, cheats, and steals to keep Tears
on the Sand safe from prying eyes. Madeleine refuses to accept that
her old friend has become a creature devoid of any human intel-
ligence or warmth. She still holds out hope that one day, Tears on
the Sand can go back to being just Janice again.
For her part, Tears on the Sand targets students and faculty
alike, though she judges each group by a different standard. Students
suffer strict punishment for breaking the rules, while she targets
faculty for abusing their authority. If Tears on the Sand judges a
faculty members punishment of a student is unfair, she targets the
faculty who delivered the reprimand and spares the student. By and
large, Tears on the Sand prefers to punish faculty, but shell take a
student if one is easier to get to.
Tears on the Sand cannot function as a person, including
the capacity to make friends or form social ties. Some part of her,
deep down, recognizes Madeleine as a friend she will not harm
or attack Madeleine unless Madeleine makes the first move, which
Madeleine, considering her deep affection for who Tears on the
Sand used to be, will never do. However, no one else gets such a
consideration other people are either a threat, or they are food.
The few times a supernatural creature other than Madeleine
crossed her path, Tears on the Sand reacted with a detached fascina-
tion. She orbits the creature, constantly watching but far too shy to
risk an approach. Madeleine generally figures out whats going on
before Tears on the Sand does. Such instances generally consist of
teenagers having difficulties coping with their newly-discovered na-
ture:most often, another changeling. When Madeleine recognizes
these children, she takes time to direct them to the nearest freehold,
saving them from another life in captivity as she now suffers through.
On several occasions, teenagers as lonely as mortal Janice once
was, find something drawing them to the abandoned storeroom
where Tears on the Sand keeps her nest. They reach out and find
some way to look past Tears on the Sands terrifying outer appear-
ance and befriend the spirit trapped within. Often, these students
are nascent Beasts themselves. Tears on the Sand accepts their
overtures, their small offerings of food, books, and games. At some
point, though, her new friend breaks a rule in order to do something
nice for Tears on the Sand, and then she must punish them.
Rumors
That changeling at A New Start used to be lovers with that
Beast she has holed up there. Thats the only reason shes stuck
around for as long as she has. It also explains why shes so defensive.
Shell fight you if you try to get to close. You want to deal with Tears
on the Sand, you gotta go through Madeline first.
This rumor circulates in whispers among those few super-
natural creatures who are aware of whats going on at A New
Start. Madeleine and Janice loved each other, but theirs was the
devotion of lifelong friends with nothing romantic or sexual about
their relationship. Madeleine remains largely out of guilt, and a
regret that she could not save her friend, which has now become a
determination to protect her. Madeleines guilt over her supposed
failure should be enough to keep Tears on the Sand well fed many
times over. However, no matter how she feels, nor how many rules
90 CHAPTER TWO: BEASTS
she deliberately breaks, Tears on the Sand leaves Madeleine alone
and will not feed from her.
Tears on the Sand owns the whole place, top to bottom.
Madeline might be the face of the operation, but it cant run prop-
erly without the Beast to control things. I dont know the legal stuff
behind it, but Im pretty sure they have someone else fronting the
business side of things to make it look legit on the surface. I bet you
could come in with lawyers and sweep the whole operation out from
under their feet.
On paper, A New Start for Troubled Teens is its own company,
owned by the husband-and-wife team John and Carol Finch. The
Finches founded A New Start over 15 years ago, and own every-
thing from the company trademark to the land and the buildings.
Janice merely worked there for several years before merging with
her Horror. Madeleine is only an employee. However, on a more
metaphysical level, Tears on the Sand does own A New Start, for
nothing of significance happens without her being aware of it.
Nah, man. Im serious. Youre new, so Ill be nice. Theres
something that lives in that shed out there, and itll get you at night.
If you want to be safe, sneak some food out during lunch and leave
it by the door. Yeah, no worries. We gotta look out for each other,
right? But, for reals. The thing also dont like messy people. I know
the showers suck and the laundry room aint much better, but dont
be a chump. Keep your clothes clean and take regular showers, the
way the rules say, and youll be okay. No, I swear to god Im not
fooling you. This is for real, man. The teachers dont know squat,
but whatever is living out in that shed is real.
These, and a host of other rumors, have sprung up amongst
the young clients of A New Start. The teens sent to this camp, far
more perceptive than the adults tasked with their care, long ago
figured out that something else was out there with them. They dont
know the exact truth behind Tears on the Sand and her predations,
but that hasnt stopped them from coming up with a long list of
rules and superstitions which supposedly keep someone safe from
her. Returning clients sometimes try to perpetuate these rumors
by telling them to the newly-arriving students, but these maxims
are just as likely to appear as bathroom graffiti or a note scribbled
in the margin of a library book. The exact truth is that Tears on
the Sand, as a Nemesis, targets only those who break rules, such as
those who neglect the hygiene requirements by wearing dirty socks
or skipping showers.
There is no queen of the werewolves, dont be ridiculous. Even
if there were, we would not bow to a creature such as the one that
lives by the isolated camp for unhappy adolescent humans. That
thing is pathetic and sad, utterly reliant on its fae minder. No, it
doesnt control us any more than you do.
Rumors abound about a nearby werewolf pack that claims
the desert surrounding A New Start as their traditional hunting
grounds. They are aware of Tears on the Sands existence as a feral
monster who haunts the local camp for juvenile delinquents, and
of Madeleines role as Tears on the Sands minder. At some point,
they may have feared her, however, after encountering her as the
Beast Rampant, they pity her. To them, shes become an object
lesson in the necessity of supernatural creatures retaining at least
some semblance of humanity. The pack monitors her, but chooses
not to intervene unless she attracts more attention. They do try to Nightmares, Indomitable, Iron Skin, Iron Will
stymie these rumors as they hear them, even resorting to bloodshed Atavisms:Increased Awareness, Limb From Limb,
to prove their dominance over the territory. Relentless Hunter, Titanic Blow
Health:9
Legend:Punishing Willpower:8
Family:Anakim Satiety:6
Hunger:Nemesis Size:5
Mental Attributes:Intelligence 1, Wits 4, Resolve 4 Speed:13
Physical Attributes:Strength 5, Dexterity 3, Stamina 4 Initiative:7
Social Attributes:Presence 3, Manipulation 3, Defense:6
Composure 4 Armor:2/2
Mental Skills:Investigation 2, Occult 3 Notes:Janice lost all facility for speech and higher thought
Physical Skills:Athletics 3, Brawl (Grappling) 5, Stealth when she became the Beast Rampant. Force is the only thing
(Covering Tracks) 4, Weaponry (Improvised Weapons) 4 she understands now. Luring her into an ambush and fighting
Social Skills:Animal Ken 3, Intimidation 4 with strategy gives her attackers a definite edge.
Merits:Allies (Students) 2, Danger Sense, Fist of Tears on the Sand has the benefit of Body Warp (for a
+2 to Stealth)

STORY HOOKS
Legends and rumors about Tears on the Sand have circulated among Beasts for years, but no one has been
able to get close enough to the camp to verify them. An opportunity to do just this comes to the Brood when
John Finch, the co-owner, dies suddenly and his widow Carol decides to sell the business. As part of the
process, Carol needs her land surveyed and appraised. By taking the job, the characters gain access to Tears
on the Sand. Tears on the Sand, however, can sense the Horrors entering her territory and isnt pleased at the
incursion. She makes this displeasure known to Madeleine, and recruits her to help drive the characters away.
The player characters must navigate an increasingly-hostile territory while attempting to both complete the job
theyve been hired to do and learn the truth about Tears on the Sand.
Suitable for an introductory chronicle, the characters come together as clients, a group of unruly adolescent
Beasts who have just gone through or are on the cusp of their Devouring. While Tears on the Sand is hostile to
the incursions of adult Beasts, she makes allowances for the newly-arrived fledglings. After all, its not their fault
theyre here. Almost instinctively, Tears on the Sand attracts new Horrors to the camp, hoping to help the nascent
Beasts go through their Devouring while avoiding the worst abuses by camp staff. Once Madeleine realizes
whats going on, she sees the young Beasts as her chance to make amends for what she sees as her mistakes
with Janice.
The characters who may be clients, faculty, or a mix face a unique threat when a particularly determined
and pitiless pair of Heroes arrive at the compound posing as FBI agents. Theyre here for Tears on the Sand,
whose constant, mindless predations have finally alerted the pair to her presence. Using forged warrants to gain
control of the compound, the Heroes run roughshod over everyone in their determination to locate and kill Tears
on the Sand. The FBI agents arrive with only Tears on the Sand in their sights, but may become aware of the
other Beasts at A New Start as they search. Betraying Tears on the Sand to the Heroes before they learn of any
other Beasts at the camp could save the rest; but are the characters willing to sell out one of the family? They
must also contend with Madeleines extreme protectiveness she may not understand the exact relationship
between Heroes and Beasts, but she knows they intend harm to her friend, and she wont stand for it.
Madeleine contacts the Brood, asking for their help. Over the past several years, Madeleine has been carefully
studying whatever fragments of Beast lore she can find. Shes desperately trying to understand the nature of the
Begotten in general, and what has happened to her friend in specific. After struggling through a particularly
difficult occult text written in a Latin cipher, Madeleine thinks she has finally figured out how to turn Tears on the
Sand back into her old friend Janice. She needs the help of the characters to perform the magic, however or
at least, she thinks she does. Once the characters arrive and take stock of the situation, they quickly realize
that Tears on the Sand is a Beast Rampant, and in their eyes, theres nothing wrong with her. The only solution
to her condition is to kill Tears on the Sand if she is too much trouble. Such a solution is unacceptable to Mad-
eleine, despite the fact that Tears on the Sand is acting out more and more violently in response to the presence
of the strange Beasts. The characters must determine the best way to bring the situation to a close, even if that
does mean eventually killing Tears on the Sand and/or Madeleine.

tears on the sand 91

 Abraham politely stepped out of the shoppers way as they made their way down
Washington Street. He nodded his head towards those who met his gaze and said Happy
Hanukah and Merry Christmas to those he passed. Hanukah was always his favorite
time of year, as it reminded him of pleasant memories from his childhood, and it always
provided him with the misery of others to satiate his Hunger. The Eshmaki smiled to
himself as he bid another stranger a welcome.
As he turned the corner, he felt a strange chill go down his spine and goose bumps
rise on his limbs. He felt an intense panic fill him, a sensation he had almost forgotten
since he embraced his Horror. This feeling was not just strange; it was as if someone
was taking something from him. No, not quite like that; it was like someone had stolen
a piece of him. No, not him, his Lair.
Abraham raced to his Lair, and was at first happy to see the mountain peaks and flowing
rivers of lava that defined his home. But that tense chill from earlier still gripped him, and
he raced through the Chambers of his home until he found a stranger sitting at a table. Not
only was the stranger not someone he had seen before, but he did not seem out of place. In fact,
the stranger seemed to be perfectly content inside of his Lair.
I am Enlil, said the stranger. I noticed you had a nice home. Its very pretty. Though
it needs a little something on the walls, dont you think? Like the walls dont have a chance
to breathe.
Abrahams own lips curled back in a sneer, as his mortal faade broke for a moment and his
Horror manifested. The form of a fiery giant overlaid itself over Abrahams form, its anger
as red hot as the burning manse that was once his Lair. His lips spat embers and smoke as he
spoke to the stranger.
Another Hero here to meet his end? Such a shame, to die so horribly.
The stranger cocked his head to the side and laughed, though it was not a humans
laugh that escaped his throat. It was as if 1,000 mouths laughed at once, and Abraham
saw a nightmarish creature staring back at him. It was then that Abraham saw the
strangers eyes had become mouths, and that before him he saw a creature that
was floating heads bound together by veins of flesh. Its monstrous form sat
upon a trio of tentacles, and everywhere a tentacle touched a dozen spine-
filled mouths hungrily gnawed on the floor.
Abraham wanted to crush the interloper and break his bones to pieces,
but he decided instead to drive the stranger from his Lair. As Abraham
sought to draw upon his home, however, he found it was as alien to him as
a strangers house. The jagged peaks and burning lakes of lava began to
cave in and fall into a tumultuous sea where creatures with strange shapes
fought each other for the right to exist. The very walls of his cavern began
to buck and heave, as they shifted from glazed stone to leathery tissue.
What have you done? Abrahams voice was a mere whisper, and he found himself
too terrified to touch anything in his own Lair.
A pair of yawning mouths closed and opened as if to simulate the act of blinking, an act as
unsettling as Abraham could imagine. The hideous laughter gave way to a ravenous growl from
the creatures many throats as it began to advance on the Eshmaki.
Ive come home!
 CHAPTER THREE:INSATIABLE

The Lamashtu. The Obscene Ones. The Nightmares of Beasts. No matter their true name, the Beasts
know them by one name in particular that best describes who and what they are:the Insatiable. They are not
just creatures whose Hunger cannot be sated, but entities that forcefully intrude into the world and disrupt
the ebb and flow of the Primordial Dream with their actions. They are creatures made of
concepts alien to how humanity thinks. They are the nightmare that is the Hunger left
unchecked and given horrific form, and they feed not just upon the dreams of man
but on the fears of the Beasts themselves. They are monsters whose hunger cannot
be reined in, and it is from this lust to fill the emptiness inside of them
that they gain their powers.
No one knows what act inspires the Insatiable. Though they
appear similar to Beasts, they do not go through the same birth-
ing process. A Beast is born feeling that she is different from other
people until the moment she is Devoured and her Horror defines
her, but an Insatiable manifests suddenly and without prediction.
An Insatiable may go through life feeling completely at ease with
himself and looking forward to a bright future, then one night
Every time I go to sleep, I the hunger in his stomach drives him mad, and he finds that
know I may never wake up. devouring his favorite food only makes him hungrier. As he
struggles to reconcile the strange environments he sees in his
How could anyone expect to? mind, he eventually crosses a threshold and appears in the Moment that inspires
You drop your tiny, helpless his Insatiable. This alien concept then devours his spirit, replacing it with the
mind into a bottomless well, Insatiable. He is his old self and something new, existing simultaneously and
crossing your fingers and tumultuously. The newly-orphaned creature sees the world with new eyes for the
hoping that when you pull it first time, and the Hunger grows inside of him. The Hunger always grows. Soon,
out on its flimsy fishing wire it the Insatiable takes over his reasoning, and he feels compelled to do nothing else
hasnt been gnawed to bones but find ways to feed specifically, to find Beasts to prey on.
by the beasts below. Hoping Some Beasts believe that the Insatiable are failed creations of the Dark Mother,
you pull up anything at all. and were an early attempt to harness the Hunger that dwelled within her. Others
believe the Insatiable are byproducts of another age, and are failed proto-Beasts from
Isaac Marion, before the time of human fears, something the Primordial Dream has abandoned
Warm Bodies now that Horrors fill its depths. This may explain why, when an Insatiable devours
its prey, the fears and dreams of her victims do not flow back into the Primordial
Dream. If they were flawed predators, the Primordial Dream would not permit their
continued existence, but somehow the Insatiable have managed to survive.
The Insatiable find Beasts fascinating and see them both as prey and fellow
predators. They consider themselves kin to the Beasts though they do not feel
familial ties to these distant cousins and their Hunger fuels their powers as
it does for Beasts. Each Moment regards each other as kin but at the same time
as potential competitors, and it is this nature that has kept the Insatiable from
working together over the centuries. They occasionally gather in small Broods of their
own, though the Insatiable soon finds her Schism at odds with the others, and prefers to
hunt alone. Desperation and threats from Beasts may cause the Insatiable to join together
for temporary protection, though these kind of alliances never last long.
The Insatiable are particularly obsessed with the Lairs that Beasts build for themselves, as they
are unable to construct their own, and see it as a birthright that the Dark Mother never bestowed upon
them. They have developed a frightening ability to enter and corrupt a Lair, allowing them to manipulate it to their

94
own liking and take up residence. They are jealous of the Lair,
though this stems more from a jealousy of the Beasts relation-
ship with the Dark Mother. To Beasts, it seems as though the
Insatiable wish to emulate this connection, and even steal her
affections. At first glance, the Insatiable appear similar to other
spawn of the Dark Mother, though they do not represent any
creatures she may have created. In truth, they too see her in
visions while in the Primordial Dream, but they do not feel any
fealty to her though some do seek out her love.
The similarities between Insatiable and Beasts lend cre-
dence to the idea that they do come from the Dark Mother,
though the Insatiable do not hold to this belief. They leave the
Primordial Dream by entering a human, and they can access
Nightmares and Atavisms as a Beast can. In addition, they can
reveal their monstrous shapes to the world in the same man-
ner as the Beasts, though their forms do not mirror any earthly
horrors. The Insatiable represent terrors from a time before
man:forces so ancient that men never dreamed or feared them.
Insatiable are horrors from a time of primordial struggle
and hunger, and as such feel that to survive they must feed
as often as possible. An Insatiable is not the subtle predator
that the Beasts try to be and, worst of all, they do not release
fears back into the Primordial Dream. When they devour their
victims, they devour their fears completely, and starve the
Primordial Dreams of the stories that sustain it. Born with a
ravenous hunger that goes beyond the hunger pains that Beasts
feel, the Insatiable are driven not just by satiating their appetites
but the constant pursuit of them. They are gluttons starved of
any ability to keep their own Hunger in check, and though they
have not become mindless predators who seek to do nothing
but feed, their Hunger is always on their mind. This hunger
drives them to not only seek out humans for a meal, but also
other Beasts and supernatural creatures.
The Insatiable see only the most powerful Beasts as rivals,
and the rest as potential prey. They stalk them, take over their
Lairs to serve as their new homes, and, at times, possess the
Beasts themselves, driving them to commit horrid acts that
draw attention to themselves and make them vulnerable to the
world at large. They subvert the Hunger in Beasts and use that
to leverage them to act out impulsively or worse, to take direct
control of the Beast. This ability to strip away self-control is one
of their most terrifying skills. This, coupled with their almost
gleeful pursuit of Beasts, makes them formidable opponents.
Distant Relations
The Insatiable consider themselves kindred to Beasts who
are older than the five Families. They claim kinship as elder
cousins, and believe they come from a consort of the Dark
Mother. They do not truly know their parentage, and the
Primordial Dream does not offer any answers to this question,
though they have a theory. They claim that at the dawn of man
there were many creatures like the Dark Mother who roamed the
tumultuous waters that made up the Primordial Dream. Their
progenitor was a primordial being of the world who fell in love
with the Dark Mother and gave its own essence to her to help
WHAT IS THE
PRIMOGENITOR ?
The Primogenitor is nothing, and it is everything. No
one is sure, and this is not a glib explanation of what
it is the Insatiable claim sired them.
The Primogenitor is a creature that either does not
want to be found in the Primordial Dream, or cannot
be found because of something that happened to it.
Some Beasts believe that the Dark Mother tore out
its throat and left it to die in some earlier epoch of
existence, while others believe that the Primogenitor
left our world to wander others. Many Beasts do not
believe the Primogenitor ever existed at all, and that
the Dark Mother gave birth to the Insatiable in a time
before and does not need them anymore.
If this is true, then the Insatiable are failed creatures,
abandoned by their mother and seeking a way to
survive in the world. It could also be that the Dark
Mother banished them from her sight, stripping their
Family name from all records and lore kept on the
matter for a crime either long forgotten or purpose-
fully purged from the Primordial Dream.
Either way, what the Primogenitor is or is not is up to
the individual Storyteller to decide.
feed her own unrelenting hunger, and was every bit as worthy
and powerful as her. This great Primogenitor is the Father of
the Insatiable and their bloodline is theoretically older than that
of Beasts, which lends the Insatiable some feeling of authority.
Beasts do not recognize this kinship. The Insatiable claim
of a consort of the Dark Mother goes against what the Begotten
know of their mother. They find the claim spitefully arrogant,
and the Insatiables attempt at superiority by claiming to be not
children of the Dark Mother, but a contemporary, is meaning-
less to them. They know that the Insatiable possess strange
powers and abilities that at times rival the Beasts, and know
that they are deceptive and have randomly impulsive natures.
The Primogenitor is a mystery to the Beasts, and no matter
how hard they try to get answers from the Dark Mother or the
Primordial Dream, they only receive silence. Many believe it
is nothing more than the ravings of mad creatures, but some
wonder if perhaps the Primogenitor once existed. At times,
the Primordial Dream shows images of great creatures and
beasts of the land and sky, and just as the Beasts see images
of the Dark Mother, the Insatiable claim to see images of the
Primogenitor. The Insatiable are similar in some ways to Beasts,
but, in others, they are completely alien. Beyond that, they
damage the Primordial Dream when they feed, making them
enemies of Beasts.
Whatever the case may be, the Insatiable possess Atavisms,
abilities of their own, and an affinity for not only the Lairs
of Beasts, but for manipulating the Beasts appetites. The tie
Distant Relations 95
 between Insatiable and Beast is unmistakable, though no one
knows for sure why or what it is. The fact that the Insatiable
cannot draw upon the Primordial Dream directly also lends
credence to the theory that they are not siblings to the Families.
The Insatiable appear to be echoes from different times in the
worlds past, but are not aspects of stories told through the
Dream. They appear more at the locations and the places where
the stories were told, and though the places are as important
as the Beasts and Heroes that make up these stories, they are
not the same. Many Insatiable claim that the Dark Mother
and Beasts forgot them or pushed them aside, yet they have a
more ancient claim to the fears and nightmares of humanity.
Some Insatiable are obsessed with inflicting suffering upon the
Begotten, believing that cosmic circumstances have wronged
them and not only do they have a right to exist on their own,
but the right to dominance over Beast and man.
The Unsated
Hunger
Whether the Dark Mother intended for the Insatiable to be
the ones that keep the Beasts in check or they were an accident
of cosmic circumstance, the Insatiable pursue and prey upon
Beasts as a superior predator would. They view the Beasts as a
resource like any other. Beasts either feed their desires and their
hungers, or are destroyed, and if the Insatiable inflicts pain and
suffering on the world in the process, they do not care. They owe
the world nothing, and the world deserves the pain generated
from the Insatiables Moment.
The Insatiable absorb points of Satiety from their victims
in the same way a Beast feeds upon their prey, but the mortal
never survives the process with an Insatiable. The Insatiable do
not feed by devouring the dreams of human beings, though they
do absorb these dreams and terrors as they feed. Instead, the
Insatiable devours their victim brutally and carnally, often leaving
behind gnawed bones and chunks of flesh scattered about. While
this might not seem similar to how Beasts feed their Hunger, it
has disastrous effects on the Primordial Dream, as the mortals
fears do not flow back into the Dream, but are instead devoured
by the Insatiable.
It is impossible for the Insatiable to have her Hunger fully
sated; even when her Satiety track is full, she is hungry. She can
control her impulses when sated, but the creature driving her
hunger does not go into slumber. She may always access her
Insatiable nature, even in public, and can learn Nightmares from
Beasts. She can use Atavisms, though if she steals an Atavism
from a Beast, she loses all access to and benefits of it if she ever
returns it.
The Moments
The Insatiable do not have Families of their own, as the
legends that haunt the Primordial Dream do not define them.
They are living concepts drawn from primordial times when the
environment was more deadly than the things that lived in it.
96 CHAPTER THREE: INSATIABLE
As such, they represent different aspects and terrors drawn from
moments in time.
Each Moment has their own view of the Primogenitor,
and though they may claim to be beholden to a different one
there are more similarities than differences between them. Each
Primogenitor is a place out of history and an era that defined
the birth of the Primordial Dream. They are not as specific as
the Whitechapel district in Victorian London, but are instead
the violent conditions that brought about change on the planet.
They are the places where life struggled to exist rather than where
life managed to live.
The Moments do not always manifest as primordial eras, and
some are inspired by modern times. An Insatiable of the Molten
Earth may project the feelings of violence and hatred for fellow
human beings, while a Freezing Hell may cause the people in the
area where he makes his home to become obsessed with hoard-
ing their food and possessions in preparation for an upcoming
calamity. An Insatiable of the Void causes her victims to believe
that the world is coming to an end, so they must get rid of all
their possessions and ignore laws because it will all end, and a
Primordial Seas may turn an upper-class neighborhood into a
bloodthirsty cult that serves her whims by delivering her food
and culling the middle class in order to keep them in their place.
Clashing Faults
The Clashing Faults are a world of towering mountains
crumbling before the shaking earth. They are the caves that lure
in those seeking shelter from the elements and then cave in on
themselves, crushing those seeking a safe place to sleep under
their stone grip. They are the lands that split apart into massive
canyons and seas that drain in from the ocean, drowning all in
their path. The Insatiable from this Moment lack compassion or
empathy, and remember their founder as the one who cradled
the Dark Mother as she slept and whose form held up the world.
The Clashing Faults feed by brutalizing their prey as they
devour them, often pulling their victims beneath the ground to
suffocate them, feeling their screams as they struggle for one final
breath. Their Dens are caves and valleys where they can store their
food deep beneath the ground, and they show little emotion as
they feed. They consider what they do to be a constant of the
universe, and hold no remorse for potential prey.
Freezing Hell
The Freezing Hell are more than the stories of creatures that
stalked the frozen plains when the planet was in the grip of an
Ice Age. They are the animals that starved for warm blood and
fresh food in an age when the world was barren and cold. They
were born in a world where survival was brutal and short, and
where man had to keep moving in order to seek places to live.
No matter what form they take, they are constantly cold. Their
hands are like ice, their blood like the coldest depths of the ocean,
and food in their presence chills and freezes. They are patient,
but as brutal as the winds of their birth.
Insatiable of the Freezing Hell are more patient than their
siblings, as they are familiar with waiting long periods for prey
to fall into their inescapable traps. When they feed, they focus
on eating the fat and drinking the blood of their victims as
they constantly prepare for a neverending winter that may not
come. They keep their Dens in cold, remote places or in walk-in
freezers and ice boxes where they store their prey in ice until
they need to feed. Their Horrible Form appears as snow drifts
that flow like water but tear the flesh off their victims, or brutal
vortexes of wind that instantly freeze their victims.
Molten Earth
The Molten Earth are from when the world was more than
just covered in fire, but was the fire. They remember waterfalls
of molten lead, and land so hot to the touch that nothing could
exist. They smell of burning sulfur and ash, and they are the
ones most driven to destruction. They hunger to see the world
cast down and made new. They do not see this as destruction
without purpose, however; they see the world on the cusp of
great change, and as a wildfire brings new growth to a forest,
they see themselves as encouraging new life to grow in the
smoldering ashes of the old.
Insatiable of the Molten Earth are quick to anger and
prone to destructive tendencies, seeing the world as subject to
the changing embrace of fire. They prefer to cook their food as
they devour it, inflicting horrifying amounts of pain on their
victims as they burn them alive. Their Dens are often in burnt
buildings and coal mines where they feel at home with burnable
materials, and they store their food among pieces of wood and
kindling to better cook it for them.
Primordial Seas
The Primordial Seas are Insatiable who are born of the
frenzied birth of life. They are the leviathans and swirling
maelstroms of the early seas, and are born from the hunger
pains of life that struggles to survive its moment of creation.
They are creatures driven to destruction by superior life forms,
and take the forms of creatures that never existed but could
have. The Primordial Seas believe their founder to be a great
jellyfish that roamed these seas, snatching up life and devour-
ing it. They are the fear of killing to live and sacrifice so others
can live. They are an anxious lot, never truly resting, and always
keeping an eye out for potential predators. This fear does not
cow the Insatiable, but drives them to strike first feeding as
much as they can and showing their dominance.
Insatiable of the Primordial Seas feel the effects of their
Hunger greater than their siblings, and often give in to violent
instincts when feeding. Their Dens are like animal nests, made
together from local materials and with food stored deep within
them. Their Horrible Forms are often composed of the body
parts of animals in strange fusions of flesh and bone to create
terrifying predators.
Void
The Void are strange, even among the other Insatiable.
They do not represent the nights sky, but the unknown dark-
ness that makes up the space between the stars. They are the
cold shadow that blankets the earth and gives cover to predators
seeking to hunt in the dark. When the first fires cooled and
the light of volcanos and meteor strikes did not light the sky,
the world was held in a dark grip. More so than the bottom-
less depths of the ocean, the vast emptiness in space evokes a
primal fear of the unknown. The idea that something could
go on forever, in a way that man could never truly understand,
is more terrifying than anything they could think up on their
own. The Void represents the endless night and the unknowable
distance, as yet unexplored. They are the methane oceans of
Titan, the crushing grip of a black hole, and the fear of perilous
creatures from beyond earth that may seek to destroy it.
The Insatiable of the Void are the most bizarre of all the
Insatiable in that they do not conform to each other. They are
not as simple as aliens from science fiction shows on TV. They
are the living threats that come from space, from the gamma
bursts that could liquefy the entire worlds biosphere upon
impact to the strange planets whose atmospheres function so
differently from ours that they seem frightful and scary. Some
find they must hunt down humans and devour their brains,
while others feel they must kill their victims and assume their
identities. Their Dens are equally as strange, as the Insatiable
feel compelled to recreate alien landscapes and try to emulate
the frighteningly beautiful places from across the universe, or
they create beautiful yet terrifying homes of carved geodes,
and representations of the planets that hide the remains of
their victims.
Unknowable
Fears
Each Moment has a basic elemental nature to it, though
all Moments mirror all elements at once. While the Clashing
Faults appears more in tune with earth and rock than the
Molten Earth, they also contain the threat of super volcanos
exploding beneath the land and seas drying up as they erupt
out of the ocean. It is the primordial fear of these Moments in
time that bind them together. Man is too young to remember
the horrors of these times, though the Insatiable spread their
fear of these Moments to those they feed upon.
An Insatiable of the Void may feed upon a mortal they
fill with fear of the world coming to an end in the wake of an
oncoming asteroid, or that the atoms of their world are drifting
away and everything will end in any second. An Insatiable of
the Molten Earth may fill a pilot of a 747 with the belief that
the ground below them has turned to molten rock and that to
land the plane anywhere but the water will lead to their deaths.
They drive irrational, terrifying fears into their victims, and
feed upon those fears.
It is this presence of irrational fears that is the calling card
of the Insatiable. The Insatiables manner of feeding twists the
environment around them. A neighborhood where an Ugallu
has been feeding may suddenly give way to mob rule as they
begin to burn their neighbors homes to get rid of the impostors
who live there. A college campus may see its students afraid of
Unknowable Fears 97
 stepping out of their dorms and drowning in the sea full of
monsters that has replaced the campus quad.
This destructive presence of fear does not concern the
Insatiable, but it does concern Beasts. The Beasts feel they exist
because they take on the aspects of the Primordial Dream and
have a part to play in a greater story that defines the world. A
Beast is the monster in the cave that devours those who wan-
der too close, or a warning to others of leaving their homes at
night and becoming lost in woods where monsters roam. The
Insatiable are a story without a moral, and a lesson without any
real meaning. They exist to feed and care only to satiate the
Hunger inside of them.
This damages the Primordial Dream as it pushes out the
fears of man and replaces them with irrationality. A child who
burns her hand on a stove learns to not touch the hot stove
again; a man who fears that poison fills the air he breathes does
not learn a lesson at all. By tainting their feeding grounds and
promoting lessons that are impossible to learn, they slowly chip
away at the Primordial Dream and make it more chaotic and
indiscernible. Even Beasts who have a strong connection to the
Primordial Dream find their Atavisms failing when they need
them, or find themselves losing their connections to their Lairs.
The Dens
When an Insatiable does not possess a Lair to call its own,
they create homes in the real world where they store food and
lie in wait for unfortunate victims to cross their paths. Dens
are not constructs of dreams or primordial fears, but are real
nests built out of the bones of their victims. These Dens have
no mystical defenses to protect them, and appear clearly to
those who discover them which does not aid Beasts in keep-
ing low profiles.
An Insatiable uses its Den as a public statement to the
world of its might and glory, as well as a place for it to seek
refuge after it has fed. Often, a Den is full of pictures and other
materials of prey the Insatiable is stalking. Insatiable are clever
at keeping their Dens concealed by hiding them in places few
would expect to look. An Insatiable who has taken on the ap-
pearance of a forensic examiner may hide his Den in one of
the old storage rooms in an abandoned police precinct, while
an Insatiable who moves between train stations may keep her
Den in an abandoned coal car.
Dens are disconcerting places to be, as the smell of rot in
a Den makes even the strongest person want to leave. If anyone
other than the Insatiable who created it enters her Den, he suf-
fers from the Sick Tilt until he leaves the vicinity.
Creating the
Insatiable
Insatiable are not simply Beasts that are hungrier than their
counterparts. They are ravenous monsters that strike out at the
world and tear apart society with their horrific powers and the
maddening effects of the Schism. They are not intended as
98 CHAPTER THREE: INSATIABLE
player characters, as the Insatiable represent living, irrational
concepts of reality that have no rhyme or reason to exist. Where
a Beast constantly struggles with her Hunger, an Insatiable is
his Hunger, and exists only to feed it. Storytellers can create
new Insatiable for their chronicle using the following rules.
Creating an Insatiable is similar to creating a Beast (Beast:
The Primordial pp.77-78), but they have their own template.
Concepts may be as simple as the local butcher or a traveling
salesman. All concepts should be compatible with the themes
of the Insatiable. A traveling salesman who uses his profession
to gain access to more victims to feed on is fine, where an
Insatiable who uses his powers to fight crime would be silly.
Storytellers should pick Attributes, Skills, and Specialties
for the Insatiable that make the most sense for the concept.
Choose the Moment that the Insatiable hails from, each
Moment confers a special ability to the Insatiable.
P  rimordial Seas:The Insatiable suffers a -2 penalty to
Willpower and Social rolls but gains an additional dot
of Strength and Wits.
F
 reezing Hell:The Insatiable gains a dot of Stamina and
two additional health boxes, but suffers a -2 penalty to
her Initiative.
T
 he Molten Earth:The Insatiable can spend 1 point
of Satiety to instill his touch with the burning heat of
the earth, which causes his Unarmed attacks to deal
Aggravated damage, but he suffers 1 point of Aggravated
damage in the process.
Clashing Fault:The Insatiable gains 2/1 Armor but has
a -1 penalty to his Defense.
V
 oid: The Insatiable can spend Willpower to affect the
area around her with the effects of the Impossible Vista
Ensurient for a number of minutes equal to her current
Willpower. An Insatiable who normally has access to this
Ensurient gains a +2 bonus to her Satiety + Strength pool
when using the power.
Choose Esurients for the Insatiable depending on how
powerful the creature is. A low-level Insatiable should start
with two Esurients, a moderately-powered Insatiable would
have four Esurients, and a powerful Insatiable could have up
to seven Esurients.
Choose Nightmares for the Insatiable, again based on how
powerful the creature is. Only choose Atavisms for an Insatiable
who has already Subverted a Beasts Lair. Otherwise, Atavisms
must be gained in play through the Esurient Your Power is Mine.
An Insatiable gains all of the bonuses that a Beast gains
during the Merger (Beast:The Primordial p. 239) except they
do not gain the bonus to detecting ambushes.
Special Mechanics
In addition to the use of Esurients and Beast Nightmares
and Atavisms, the Insatiable have access to a few additional
advantages.
Horrible Form
An Insatiable can manifest the form she holds in the
Primordial Dream in the same way a Beast can manifest his
Horror after the Merger, but with different results. An Insatiable
manifests as a completely alien creature that is more a feral,
sentient concept than an amalgamation of pieces of folklore.
They rarely appear as the werewolves and dragons of legend but
instead appear as the nightmares those creatures may have once
had. An Insatiable may appear as a swarm of fanged spheres,
constantly gnawing at everything in sight, or as a gaunt giant
with no orifices or features save for a black hole located in
their sternum.
The human mind is unable to process the forms of the
Insatiable because it has no previous memories or dreams to
compare them to. When a mortal views an Insatiable in her
Horrible Form, he feels the compulsion to flee from the sight
of the creature, and immediately rationalizes it upon leaving
the Scene. Humans who spend at least a scene or longer in the
presence of an Insatiable in her Horrible Form gain the Shaken
Condition. A supernatural creature may roll her Resolve +
Supernatural Tolerance to resist gaining this condition.
Impossible Anatomy
Due to their impossible anatomy, as all Insatiable do not
conform to rational concepts of biology, all powers that affect
their body do not gain the benefits of an extraordinary suc-
cess when used against them. This is due to the fact that an
Insatiables organs tend to be in different parts of the body, or
her body is made from living bedrock or similar, and that makes
it difficult to affect them as one can other creatures.
Lair Subversion
The Insatiable start with 0 in Lair, and can only increase it
by stealing access to a Beasts Lair. This process is Subversion,
where an Insatiable takes over the Beasts Lair and steals its
power for themselves. The Subversion lasts as long as the
Insatiable can maintain control over the Beast or the Lair, and
when control over the Lair is broken her Lair diminishes at
the cost of one point of Lair per day. The Insatiable may steal
Atavisms from a Beast after subverting her Lair, and retains
access to the use of those Atavisms until the Lair degrades to
0. The different types of Subversions and how an Insatiable
accomplishes each one are listed below.
LAIR VS DEN
Insatiable only have points in Lair if they have
subsumed a Beasts Lair. This may be a plot point, or
something that happens in play. The Lair they take re-
tains most of its usual features, but gains a taint based
on the Instatiables Moment. While its good practice
to describe an Insatiables Den, there are no special
mechanics associated with the location.
An Insatiable may spend points of Satiety to temporarily
boost her Lair rating, and in this way is capable of drawing
nightmare realms out of nothing. These Lairs are always tem-
porary, and though some Insatiable find these places to be their
true homes, these temporary Lairs only last one day per point
of Satiety spent. Some Insatiable become obsessed with the
thought of upkeeping their Lairs, and begin to devour mortals
at a frightening rate, using their fears to keep the Insatiables
dream alive. A true Lair is an embodiment of the Primordial
Dream, and even the Insatiable prefer to sleep in a true Lair
than the cold, savage constructs that are Dens.
Unseen Presence
An Insatiable also does not show up in the Primordial
Dream and leaves no lasting residue of his appearance apart
from the Schism (see below). To Beasts, Insatiable appear as faint
ripples in the Primordial Dream, but do not stand out among
the other dreams and fears. A Beast or supernatural creature
using a power to detect an Insatiable suffers a -2 penalty to any
dice rolls associated with searching, though an Insatiable who
uses any of its powers becomes immediately noticeable as a
foreign presence that feels wrong and damaging to the world.
Heroes cannot sense Insatiable the way they do Beasts due to
this phenomenon, and even Schisms do not necessarily alert
a Hero to an Insatiables presence, making them a threat only
Beasts are equipped to deal with.
The Act of
Subversion
The Insatiable cannot build their own Lairs. Like owls, they
instead steal the nests built by others and make them their own.
An Insatiable is a covetous creature, stealing Lairs away from
its victims and then tossing them aside when it encounters an
even greater Lair. Like most things, its the thrill of the hunt
and of devouring that appeals to the Insatiable, not the actual
conquest. That does not mean they are looking only to borrow a
nest. The Insatiable aim not only to take control of the Lair and
the Hive it is be bonded to, but to gorge themselves upon the
Beast and the things that make up his existence. An Insatiable,
once it has targeted a Beast, will aim to devour everything about
that Beast until there is nothing left.
The Insatiable waits quietly, slowly taking in everything he
can about his target. He is able to sense when a Beast is near,
though the Beast cannot sense that something horrific and un-
natural is nearby. She may experience dj vu, or strange tingles
running down her spine, but the Insatiable does not emit an
aura that is easily perceptible to her. The Insatiable learns to
understand his potential prey and how she hunts so that he
may know how best to attack his target.
When an Insatiable chooses to begin Subversion, he has
two equally sinister methods at his disposal. It is possible for
an Insatiable to subvert the Beasts lack of Hunger, and strike
when she is most Satiated and unable to defend herself. Their
second method is to subvert the Beasts Lair and steal it for
the act of subversion 99

PLAYING
WITH POWER
The Insatiable are predators who feed off of Beasts
and do their best to steal their powers and ruin the
Beasts life, and a chronicle may see a players
character at the mercy of an Insatiable who has
taken over her body. While this can open the
character to numerous opportunities for roleplay,
remember that overstepping boundaries while in
control of a character may not only be disastrous for
the chronicle, but could be damaging and alienating
to the player.
When using this particular power, the Storyteller
should work with the player to create a scene both
are comfortable with. While the Insatiable may be
a soulless abomination who forces the Beast to take
actions to murder or kill, the player involved should
be consulted as to what she is comfortable with.
Anything an Insatiable does with the Subverted
Beast must benefit the story and make the chronicle
more interesting without sacrificing decency for the
players. Remember that while Insatiable are horrid
monsters, you and your players are most likely not.
himself. Like an owl who moves into another birds nest, he
feeds off the nightmarish memories there and makes the Lair
his own. These Insatiable prefer to strike when a Beast is at its
most ravenous, as the flavor of the Lair as the Beasts Hunger
grows attracts their own appetites.
Subversion of
Contentment
Insatiable hate Beasts but are obsessed with them, seeking
them out to feed and to steal their Lairs. They feel that their
cousins never accepted them, and the Dark Mother purposefully
abandoned the Primogenitor. They feel no sympathy towards
Beasts when they strike. Insatiable desire to inflict fear and suf-
fering upon a world that does not realize they exist, and feel the
need to inflict the horrors that make up their Moments upon
others. The Insatiable seeks out a Beast whose own hunger is
abated, and push their Horrors aside, possessing the Beast for a
short time.
While an Insatiable who Subverts a Beast in this way has
control over the Beast, in many ways she is at her most vulnerable.
Bereft of her own abilities, she instead acts out in ways that make
life harder for the Beast. While the Insatiable is in charge, she uses
her body to give in to her hunger and unleash her wrath upon
the world. The Insatiable makes the Beast search out prey to stalk,
hunt, and kill in a physical way while denying the Beast the taste
of the victims terror as she murders innocents.
When attempting to Subvert a Beast, the Insatiable must
make skin contact with them. This can be accomplished by simply
passing by and touching the Beast with her hand or by crushing
100 CHAPTER THREE: INSATIABLE
him in her tentacles. The Storyteller then makes an extended and
contested roll using the Insatiables Strength + Satiety versus the
Beasts Composure + Willpower. For each point of Satiety above
5 the Beast has, her player receives a -1 penalty to her roll, and for
each point below 5, he receives a +1 bonus. For each success the
Insatiable achieves, they move the Beasts Composure or Presence
down by 1. When both Attributes reach zero, the Insatiable suc-
cessfully subverts the Beasts consciousness and gains control for
one hour for each point of Satiety the Beast has.
Attempting to Subvert a Beasts mind is an immediately rec-
ognizable act, as the Horror feels an intruder attempting to push
it beyond simple Satiety and out of the Beasts mind altogether.
Subversion of Hunger
While an Insatiable can temporarily manifest a Lair by expend-
ing her power, these Lairs pale in comparison to the real places
Beasts construct for themselves. The Den an Insatiable makes is a
hollow echo of a Beasts Lair, betraying a desperate need to have
a place to call her own. Her constant hunger is so visceral that
it pervades everything she does; she not only hungers for flesh
and terror, but power and dominance. The only true way to have
everything is to take everything from her prey.
An Insatiable follows a Beast, watching which Primordial
pathways he takes to get into his Lair, taking note of favored
entrances and exits. She then lies in wait until the Beast leaves
his Lair before making her move. She must pierce through the
layers of the Primordial Dream to enter the Lair. If she is entering
from the material world, she spends 3 points of Satiety, but if she
enters from another Lair connected through a Hive, she only has
to spend 1 point.
To begin the Subversion, the Insatiable must touch an ob-
ject within the Lair associated with its theme. To Subvert a Lair
dedicated to a hydra that dwells in toxic swamps, the Insatiable
must touch the swamp water. To Subvert a Lair to a harpy living
on a crag jutting forth from the ocean, the Insatiable must touch
the bones of her victims or the walls of the inside of the cave. The
Storyteller then makes an extended and contested roll against the
Lairs owner, using the Insatiables Satiety + Presence versus the
Beasts Willpower + Lair, and each roll requires 30 minutes of
time. If the Insatiable has made it all the way to the Heart of the
Lair, the Storyteller gains a +2 bonus to the roll. A Beast always
knows when an Insatiable is undertaking the Subversion, and acts
to save her Lair.
After each roll, if the Insatiable has more successes than the
Beast, she works to reshape the Lair to better suit her needs. Each
additional success causes the Beast to lose 1 point of Lair, temporar-
ily weakening him as the Lair transfers to the Insatiable. If the Beast
has more successes, the Insatiable loses control and gained Lair
dots revert back to the Beast. If the Insatiable gains no successes,
her attempt fails, and she cannot try again for a full day. When
the Beast has no more points of Lair, his home is transformed
into the ideal representation of the Insatiable who is now in the
drivers seat. The Insatiable then becomes the primary owner of
the Lair until driven out by the Beast or until she relinquishes
control of it. The Insatiable must enter the Lair daily to maintain
control, as the Primordial Dream itself balks at this subversion.
When an Insatiable relinquishes control, or is forced from a Lair,
the Lair degrades by 1 each day she remains away. Conversely, the
Beast who once owned to Lair regains dots in Lair, 1 a day until
the dots are fully restored.
The thought of an Insatiable stealing a Lair is frightening, and
many Beasts are quick to call upon her Brood to help. A smart
Insatiable knows when it is outmatched and flees the Lair, content
with what it has, and doing its best to avoid facing the Beasts again.
Some Insatiable find that where they have succeeded once, they
can succeed again, and continue Subverting Lairs belonging to the
same Brood. The most effective means of keeping an Insatiable
out is by showing him that a Beast is willing to kill him for her
lair; barring teaching the Insatiable a lesson, most Beasts prefer
to kill them so they do not have to deal with them again. In rare
cases, an Insatiable does not steal the Lair after it has gained entry,
and instead walks its halls and takes notes of what it sees. Why an
Insatiable does this is unknowable to the Beasts, but the creepiness
of having a stranger walking around their sacred places while they
are not there is a violation of their homes.
The Schism
A Beast knows that eventually either her Hunger will win
out over her or she will fall to a Hero. Everything between those
moments is what she makes of it, often a life of teaching lessons
and survival. She seeks to balance her Hunger and her Horror
with her own personal desires, and the only thing grounding her
is her family. Though some might consider life tedious, the Beasts
do not fear her own deaths. They know that they will either be
reborn through the Primordial Dream or they will survive as they
always have. That is not to say that Beasts have grown arrogant and
prideful. They know that in order to survive they must maintain
anonymity in the world, and that though they haunt the dreams
of man they need to do their best to avoid discovery.
The Insatiable care little for the world of man and see it as
nothing more than a fleeting moment in the history of the planet.
They consider all that currently exists to be transitory, and that
someday this world will end just as the Moments they identify with
came to a close. Insatiable do not care if they kill one man or 20
men, as long as they can sate their Hunger. The strange nature of
the Insatiable causes them to interact with the Primordial Dream
negatively, and these ripples affect the places in the real world
where they have set up their Dens.
As the Insatiable feeds in an area, ripples begin to slowly warp
how mortal humans interact with each other. It starts slowly, and
people often overlook the effects as just outbreaks of seemingly-
bizarre behavior. A Little League game at the park may turn into a
shouting match between the parents of both sides, where previously
they had all been friends. In a church, a previously-quiet pastor may
suddenly begin to shout and scream at his flock, calling them out
on their sins, that he seems to possess secret knowledge of. As the
Insatiables effects fade, these incidents disappear from peoples
minds as random acts not worth remembering.
As the Schism begins to grow, these strange behaviors start
to heighten the emotions and paranoia of those who spend more
than an hour in the area affected by the Insatiables presence.
People begin to act more impulsively, and some begin to suffer
from delusions. Many begin to suspect their neighbors of harbor-
ing violent thoughts against them, and others begin to abandon
long-held ideals for beliefs that offer them some comfort. Many
Insatiable take advantage of the peoples paranoia and use it to
form cults to help feed their Hunger.
As the Schism reaches its peak, conflict overwhelms the area
as the people begin to give in to violent thoughts and destructive
impulses. Mob rule sets in and those perceived as threats to the
community are driven out or destroyed, while the community
itself falls under the sway of some grand delusion. The Insatiable
whose Schism is affecting the area always plays some part in the
delusion, and many find that her Moment bleeds through into
the real world and begins to twist at the perceptions of others. An
Insatiable of the Molten Earth may see a community burn under
the actions of a dozen arsonists who see flames as the only way to
stop an infectious disease from spreading, while an Insatiable of
the Void may cause a community to begin burying living people
beneath the earth in order to stop them from rising as zombies.
If an Insatiable dies or leaves the area, her Schism slowly fades
as the Primordial Dream repairs the divide between itself and real-
ity. Slowly, people come to their senses and regain rational thought,
and many wonder what drove them to such strange behavior. For
most, they choose to believe simple explanations to their actions:
tainted water sources, a polarizing news story, or having it simply
described as a daily occurrence depending on the location of the
incident, such as Well, thats Florida for you.
The Insatiable can manipulate the effect her Schism has on an
area by offering suggestions to people as to what is happening, thus
fueling their fears. She is the stranger at the back of the crowd crying
that Communists are manipulating things or that the government
is trying to steal their childrens futures. She subtly suggests how
the water they drink is contaminated with poison or the walls of
their homes are lined with listening devices for the NSA. It only
takes a few nudges, and then the Schism takes hold and people
become willing to believe anything.
The power of the Schism increases each time the Insatiable
feeds in an area. A Schism is rated 1 to 10 and after each month
of constant feeding, the Schism rating increases by 1. All Social
rolls made within the affected area suffer a penalty equal to the
THE INSATIABLE AND
THE EPHEMERAL
The Schism produced by the Insatiables touch upon
an area makes the area more vulnerable to manifesta-
tions by Ephemeral beings. They are drawn to the sor-
row and carnage of the area, as the ghosts of those
who have been devoured attract other ghosts, and
the strange creatures that lurk in the Shadow see the
area as ripe for plundering. For each point of Schism
an area has the Gauntlet rating is reduced by 1 to a
minimum of 1, and Ephemeral beings can sense the
presence of the area.
the schism 101
 STORY HOOKS
The local gas station comes under new management, and the sweet old couple who used to run it have disap-
peared. The new owner, who introduces himself as James Johannson Jeremiah Johnson, always talks to customers
as they come in. He sells everything at 50% off, and the gas station has become popular among local teens and
those seeking late-night snacks. But, those who visit the gas station notice how cold the owner keeps the air condi-
tioning, and people have started to disappear. The police dragged a teenager from the lot behind the gas station
who complained that she was deathly afraid the avalanche would get her.
Fairpoints Mall, once a regal and upscale shopping center, has fallen on hard times in the past 10 years. Lately,
the mall has gained a reputation for violence and small riots as customers turn on each other viciously in order to
get items that are on sale. Footage of the riots shows a woman walking in the background, whose dark eyes sit
above a knowing smile. The Insatiable is encouraging the customers to give in to their needs for survival and su-
premacy and has turned the mall from a battleground of economic survival to a trap to bring out the worst natures
in people so she may feed.
Mycroft Park has become a rental complex that caters to those who prefer their privacy and do not wish to as-
sociate with others. They have banned any form of public events and have built large fences and walls around the
units. The isolation has led to many renters refusing to leave their homes at all, as many feel a predatory nature sur-
rounding the area. The Insatiable of the Void prefers for his victims to stay where he can watch them, and the high
Schism of the area has led to the inhabitants fully believing that if they try to leave they will die.
Dr. Leonardo Trent, a local philanthropist, has moved into one of the neighborhoods off Ritter Street that has been
all but abandoned by the city. The people love Dr. Trent, whose radical landscape designs and powerful speeches
have made the people believe anything he says. Those who look up his name online find he has moved from
neighborhood to neighborhood over the years, and that he always leaves once the previous neighborhood burns
itself to the ground. Dr. Trent has encouraged the people in the neighborhood to begin hoarding gas in drums in
their garages.

Schisms rating, including those made by the Insatiable. A Beast is

instantly able to determine the effects of a Schism, and with a success-
ful Occult + Intelligence roll the player can determine how high the
local Schism rating is. A Schisms radius affects an area equal to one
mile per point of Schism.
Esurients
An Insatiable has access to both Atavisms and Nightmares,
though she also has access to several of her own powers. These powers
come from forgotten aspects of the Primordial Dream and are fueled by
the Insatiables Satiety, which is a heavy sacrifice, as the Insatiable must
make herself even more ravenously hungry in order to use her abilities.
Cast Aside
The Insatiables limbs grow suddenly, either becoming massively
muscled or bending in ways that maximize his ability to throw others.
The Insatiable spends a point of Satiety to let him choose to inflict the
Staggered Tilt instead of inflicting damage on a successful melee or
brawling attack. The opponent is staggered for one round per damage
the Insatiable would have dealt with his attack.
Body of Mouths
By warping his flesh and bones, the Insatiable manifests tiny snap-
ping mouths all across his body. Each one is fully functional, capable
of both speech and biting. While in a grapple, the mouths count as a
weapon with a damage rating of 2 lethal, but cannot be controlled by
the Insatiables opponent. Additionally, attempts to hold, restrain, or
damage the Insatiable suffer a -2 penalty.
The Burning
The Insatiable does not just draw upon monsters and places
of legend for her powers but inhospitable and lethal environments.
Drawing upon the pneumocystis of the jellyfish, she brutally burns
her opponent upon physical contact. By spending a point of Satiety,
the Insatiable turns her skin into an electrical conductor, which causes
2 lethal damage to anyone who comes into contact with her. Those
afflicted by this touch must make a successful Stamina + Survival roll
or gain the Paralyzed Tilt.
Channel the Lifeblood
The Insatiable challenges the raw elements of the moment of
his birth, channeling them through his body and unleashing them
upon his victim. After the Insatiable has taken Lethal or Aggravated
damage, he can channel that pain into a raw physical attack composed
of the elements of his Moment. The Storyteller makes a ranged attack
using the Insatiables Strength + number of Health boxes filled with
both Lethal and Aggravated damage; the attack has a rating of 2 lethal.
Foul Mess
Insatiable who use this power are not concerned with hiding,
but are leaving behind a calling card. A bold Insatiable will use this
ability to warn Beasts and other Insatiable that she is in the area and
that they should leave before she destroys them.
To activate this power, the Insatiable must partially devour a liv-
ing creature but leave behind their corpse. She then spends a point
of Satiety to imbue the corpse with a fetid aura that causes mortals
who look at it to become violently ill, and supernatural beings to feel

102 CHAPTER THREE: INSATIABLE

ill at ease at the violent end the person went through. Mortals who
view the corpse suffer a -2 to all Social and Mental rolls for the scene.
Supernatural creatures may make a Resolve + Composure roll to resist
the effects or suffer the same penalties. A Beast may add her dots in
Lair to her roll to resist.
Impossible Vista
The Insatiable come from moments in time that no living crea-
ture has ever seen, and for a brief time they can trap their opponents
in these vistas. Once affected by this power, the target actually believes
he is in another time and place, and he cannot help but struggle
against the primordial elements he sees there. The vista is different
from one Insatiable to the next, but it is as grand and awe inspiring
as it is brutal and terrifying.
The Insatiable must first spend a point of Lair to access this
power and, once she does, she can use it for the rest of the scene. She
must spend 2 points of Satiety to target a victim with this power, and
the Storyteller then rolls the Insatiables Satiety + Strength versus the
targets Resolve + Stamina. If the Insatiable gains more successes, the
target is plunged into an illusion in which he sees his environment
change into a wild landscape of the Insatiables own design. He be-
comes lost in the delusion, and acts as if he is living in another time
and space. He hears voices as faint echoes and may be too afraid to
move from his spot, as he believes the environment will hurt him.
For onlookers, he appears unaffected other than his change in man-
nerisms. He thrashes about as if he is drowning, though to others it
looks like he is flailing his arms around wildly on the pavement while
screaming that he is underwater.
Those trapped in this state can attempt to break free from it by
spending a point of Willpower and making a Resolve + Composure
roll. If they do not succeed, the player must succeed on a Stamina +
Survival roll or suffer 2 lethal damage each round, as the character
believes the environment is attacking him. Victims brought out of
this delusion often show signs of having been in another world, such
as having frozen skin or being soaked in seawater, though they have
not left this plane.
Intruder
Those who possess the mark of the Intruder leave no trace of
themselves behind and are difficult to track, even with supernatural
powers. An Insatiable may spend 2 points of Satiety to temporarily
give her a +1 bonus to Stealth and allow her to project an image
onto herself to fool the senses of others. She can specify a particular
person or a general category. For example, she could appear as the
Beast she is hunting or a person milling about in the crowd. The
image cannot be subjective based on other peoples perceptions, so it
cannot be the woman this man is expecting, but it can be a mail
carrier with a package.
Laws of Man
No Longer Apply
Remembering a time when the universe was young and the laws
that chain existence together were still easily moldable, the Insatiable
focuses his Hunger to manipulate the reality around him. Though he
is unable to cause massive, sweeping changes to his environment, he
finds he is able to nudge the laws of probability and thermodynamics
in his favor.
The player spends a point of Satiety and adds a +2 bonus to rolls
in which the Insatiable is dealing with his environment for the rest
of the Scene. He is able to manipulate the bullets fired from a gun to
better seek their targets or is able to stay warm despite being locked
in a freezer. In addition, the Insatiable ignores all penalties due to
Environmental Tilts.
Obedience
Not all Insatiable like to remain hidden, and some are able to
adapt and manipulate mortals into serving their needs. An Insatiable
knows that if she operates openly, she is at risk not just from Beasts,
but also from other supernatural creatures. The Insatiable has devel-
oped a means to manipulate humans and get them to act in her stead.
Whether it is by releasing pheromones that manipulate their senses
or by direct psychic control, the Insatiable is able to use the effects of
her Schism to make humans more loyal to her.
Each week an Insatiable may spend 5 points of Satiety minus
the Schisms rating (to a minimum of 1) to force humans who hear
her commands to obey her. Humans may roll Resolve + Composure
to resist the effects of this power but are at a -1 penalty for each level
of the Schisms rating. The effects of this power last for one week per
level of the Schism.
Terrible Form
Though Beasts are able to briefly manifest their guise as a monster
from mythology for only brief moments, Insatiable are able to manifest
their forms more fully. With Terrible Form, they are able to assume
forms that do not conform to any shape that seems possible in our
world. An Insatiable of the Void may turn its body into chunks of
burning meteorites caught in a swirling tornado and an Insatiable
of the Primordial Seas may assume the form of a swarm of stinging
tentacles that merge into a knot of corded muscle. These forms are
insidious and frightening to behold, and can shatter the minds of
those who look at them.
She manifests the terrible form in a show of immediate power,
manifesting the effects of her Horrible Form more powerfully than
normal. Humans automatically suffer the Shaken Condition when
forced to look upon her form, and must attempt to flee the area
through any manner, even if that requires a fight or injuring themselves.
Supernatural creatures are immune to the fear effect, and roll Resolve
+ Supernatural Tolerance to resist gaining the Shaken Condition.
We Can See
Your Insides
A diabolical ability used to disorient and unnerve the Insatiables
victim, though it causes no outward harm. The Insatiable focuses
on a target and spends a point of Satiety, turning the victims skin
translucent, revealing his internal organs and terrifying him and those
who see him. Anyone who can see the victim affected by this power
must make a Resolve + Composure roll or gain the Sickened Tilt for
the rest of the scene.
esurients 103
 Your Power Is Mine
An Insatiable hungers to fill the void inside her, though it
isnt always food she craves to satisfy her needs. An Insatiable
can steal an Atavism or Nightmare from a Beast by touching
her opponent and spending a point of Satiety. The Storyteller
then makes an opposed Satiety + Manipulation roll versus the
Beasts Satiety + Lair. If the Insatiable scores more successes,
she temporarily steals a single Nightmare or Atavism from the
Beast for the remainder of the scene.
THE AUTHORITY
I wouldnt do thatthe Authority might be watching.
Background
Few know the history of this Insatiable, but it is not a story
for the faint of heart. It began with a boy who was picked on
through his adolescence and abused by older siblings through
most of his life. He dreamed of one day bringing ruin to his
oppressors and living a life without hassle. These dreams became
reality one afternoon during one of his daily beatings from his
brothers, when his skin began to burn as hot as lava, popping
and hissing as heat escaped his skin. He finally fought back,
for once in his life feeling powerful instead of weak, and could
have stopped at horribly disfiguring their fragile bodies as they
burned under the weight of his strikes. Carlton, however, con-
tinued his assault and left only puddles of blood and viscera
on the floor for his parents to find.
Carlton ran away from home that day, and began the regu-
lar practice of using his burning fists to rob unlucky innocents
he came across, but leaving them to go about their lives. He
saved his real aggression for the truly despicable in his city, like
thugs and drug pushers. For a while, there was talk of a Robin
Hood figure who stole only what he needed to survive in his
pursuit of the criminal element. It made the various crime
families and gangs quake in their boots, which brought a smile
to Carltons face and a little too much attention in his direction.
It wasnt long before he was face to face with the Forsaken
in league with the local drug trade. They warned Carlton to
leave the area and told him that his presence adversely affected
the surrounding spirits, but he knew this was far from the truth.
In honesty, he was just a thorn they wanted out of their paws
and they figured placation would be sufficient. Instead, he beat
a few of the wolves senseless, leaving the smell of burned fur in
the air. When he turned to the remaining Forsaken, he grinned
and demanded their loyalty. It was a choice between being
104 CHAPTER THREE: INSATIABLE
Examples
The rest of this chapter details six different examples of
Insatiable. Feel free to use them as is, or change them to fit your
chronicles themes, mood, and power level. While Insatiable are
specifically a problem for Beasts whom they hunt specifically
these creatures can make an appearance in any Chronicles
of Darkness setting.
burned by molten hands or following a new leader, since their
previous pack leader was now a pile of ash on the ground. This
revealed a new aspect of Carltons power:the ability to control
others through fear, without ever having to lay a finger on them.
There is nothing like having a pack of werewolves as your
personal guard to earn others respect. In a short time, Carlton
was able to take down all the other drug trades and crime fami-
lies, leaving him at the head of the only remaining family, which
previously belonged to his Forsaken. It was his now. Word of the
street vigilante disappeared from public view, but anyone who
was anyone in the underground circuit began hearing stories
about a mysterious figure called the Authority. The Authority
was shorthand for a man who ruled the crime in his city with an
iron fist, who people needed to ask for permission to operate,
and who had law enforcement on his payroll. No one dared to
oppose him, because his hounds were the best at taking down
competition or those who disrespected his rules for peaceful
cohabitation. Carlton, of course, simply enjoyed the feelings of
power and control; something hed never had in his early days,
but also something that would be his undying legacy.
A Reputation That Precedes
That was year ago, and now no one really remembers the
Authority as a homeless vigilante. To many, the Authority is
an elusive construct, a man who exists only in the shadows.
No one knows his true name outside of his closest and most
loyal followers, who crush any and all who would oppose him
before they can scratch the outer surface of the organization.
The organization has risen to great influence due to its corpo-
rate atmosphere, where the Authority rules over his city like a
CEO, making deals and choosing initiatives for his underlings
to make happen.
His close advisors are made up of a number of Lost and
Forsaken, some of whom have taken it on as a job just like any
other, while others seek a safe harbor which only someone
with the vast wealth and resources like those of the Authority
can provide including protection against others of their own
kind. The supernatural community does not see serving the
Authority as any kind of great honor. Many assume those who
do are traitors to their own kind or out for a quick buck.
The Authority, however, has no problem leveraging
that to assimilate other supernatural outcasts into his
organization. This only makes his ability to enforce his
rule that much more concrete.
When someone under his care steps out of line,
they are dealt with swiftly, quietly, and usually not by
the Authority himself. In the rare case that he takes out
the trash himself, Carlton is sure to make it a spectacle
to serve as a warning to any other transgressors. The
most recent was a rat name Eliot who gave up the
location of one of the Authoritys chop shops
to a nosey detective not under his payroll. The
Authority held the snitch in an abandoned con-
struction site for days, and he called all of his
available minions to attend his death sentence.
Many were green and only knew the rumors of
the Authority, so the anticipation was palpable.
When the moment came, a molten behemoth
stepped out and called to the crowd, This is
what happens to the disloyal! and with that
he punched the ground, splitting it open to
reveal a pool of lava, picked Eliot up with one
burning hand, and threw the man into the pit
to his death. As Eliots feet and legs melted and
crunched, the Authority ordered his guards to
riddle him with bullets. It was an excruciating
death, and people still talk about it today.
Description
Those who have actually had an audience with
the Authority, or Mr. A, as some call him, say he is
quite the looker. He is always dressed to the nines
in the nicest and most expensive business suits, and
his eyes pierce through even the most secure person.
There is a slight red light flickering through his pupils
at times, belying his supernatural origins. To the uniniti-
ated, it is simply an alluring quality and not something
they should rightfully be fearful of. At least four personal
bodyguards, two of whom are Forsaken, one of whom is
a Lost, and the last of whom is a highly-trained mortal,
always surround him.
Carlton, a name he never hears anymore, gets off on
power, and displaying that power is important to him.
This is why he sows fear into his every action, why he
is never without protection, and why he feeds a
sense of dread and loyalty into the dreams of
those he meets.
His outward demeanor is cold and calculat-
ing, which he keeps in check through his weekly
activities. In his mansion, a deliciously sickening Den lies in
the basement. Stepping into it is like stepping into a furnace,
which is nothing to an Insatiable of the Molten Earth, but to
his victims it is akin to standing in hell. The Authority isnt
picky about his victims, only that he always has one on whom
to take his aggression out. This could be torture at the end of a
red hot poker to celebrate a merger with the Russian mafia
that moved into town, flaying his victims skin to mark
a special business anniversary, or even someone to beat
to a charred and bloody pulp if a deal goes wrong. In
the latter, the messenger of the bad news always runs
the risk of becoming his new victim. The human body
is seldom resistant to heat, so his Den is also the best
place to dispose of any remains.
When he takes his Horrific form, the
Authority is a creature standing several
heads higher than the tallest mortal, and
is made of lava that flows from his heart
and drips onto the ground. This leaves
a trail behind him that burns and scars
anyone who interacts with it. Some say
there is a faint, fiery skeleton viewable
underneath the lava that is just as ter-
rifying to behold. One can only see it
as he launches his lava from his body at
an enemy to melt them, and only for a
second before his heart pumps out more
of the unearthly molten rock. On the
rare occasion when a Hero or Beast makes
their way to him, the collective weight of his
empire summarily crushes them.
Rumors
I hear the best time to strike is the full moon.
Thats when his wolves are on a leash, and he cant
keep his eyes everywhere. I know a guy whos been run-
ning drugs under his nose every full moon, hasnt gotten
caught yet.
The consensus of most criminals in his city is
the full moon is the only real time to act outside
of the Authoritys rules. More crimes take place
and the police are stretched far too thin, making
it perfect for the prepared. Firefights, robberies,
looting, assassinations, and several deals go down
in the streets without the Authoritys approval.
The Authoritys criminal empire actually ex-
tends much farther than any individual group of
supernatural creatures, however, and he has eyes
everywhere. It often becomes a situation where
avoiding notice just involves casting aspersions onto
others to cover oneself. Its only worth the Authoritys
time to go after the worst offenders in the end, but
his officers deal with each one swiftly and destructively.
In truth, the Authority loves to sit back and
watch the chaos. He loves the knowledge that with-
out his control everything goes to hell in a hand basket.
the authority 105

STORY HOOKS
A group of Forsaken approach the characters
in hopes of making a deal:They need a certain
group of drug pushers taken out and their inven-
tory torched to send a message. The plan should
take place during the full moon, the only real
time the stash is protected to a lesser extent than
normal. If they investigate, the location belongs to
the Authority,
so the question becomes whether or not to pro-
ceed. In either case, the characters find out those
same Forsaken committed other crimes that same
night. Sending the group was simply to avert
blame and to put the characters on the Author-
itys radar instead of themselves, which warrants
another talk with the Forsaken.
The Beasts brood begins seeing several new
criminal elements around their territory, as well as
reluctance for the police to intervene and stop the
occurrences. This starts small, with street corner
drug sales, until they actually spot a secret deal
with the police themselves. A major rezoning takes
place that threatens to remove the Beasts from
their homes and, more importantly, to tear down
the location they use to enter their Hive to put up
a shopping mall. Tracking down the source of the
terrible changes to their territory is of the utmost
importance, and everyone just says the same
namethe Authority. Who is this mystery person,
and how can the brood stop him?
The characters recently procured a mystical item
on their last adventure, perhaps from a Hero they
vanquished. They then receive a call from a person
who says they represent Mr. A, a businessman
who would like to purchase said item from them
for a handsome sum. Showing up to meet with the
Insatiable face to face is an interesting prospect.
Giving in to their base urges of destroying the
Insatiable on first contact is a valid one, but so is
hearing him out. Could they possibly be the first
Beasts to be hired by the Authority? What if they
dont want to sell the item? Have they made a
potential ally or a terrible enemy?
Without his hand to guide the city, there is no order, only
chaos and destruction. At times, he has gone undercover to
tackle rival organizations under the same cover of the full
moon, taking the opportunity to stretch his metaphorical
legs by burning a few buildings to the ground or dragging
his enemies back to his Den.
I dont know what it is, but they say hes got a thing for
redheads. They dont get any kind of special pass or anything, but he
seems more interested in them. Id keep your head covered, or maybe
even just dye it. Better to not get noticed, ya know?
106 CHAPTER THREE: INSATIABLE
Long ago, someone told a young Carlton that he had no
soul. Did these onlookers see into the boys future to see the
abomination he would eventually become? No, they were insult-
ing him due to his red hair and freckled complexion. At least
Im not a ginger, is something he became too used to hearing
at too early an age. This shaped much of his worldview once
he discovered his nature as an Insatiable.
This rumor is two pronged. Yes, he sees other redheads as
under his protection and goes viciously after anyone showing
offense to redheads, even if its only hearsay. He sent an entire
coterie of Kindred to their final deaths after they stalked a red-
head and left him to rot, and has also gone as far as to destroy
businesses (sometimes quite literally) who discriminate against
his kind. Likewise, he sees a kinship with other redheads and
often employs them within his organization. Messing with
a redhead in the Authoritys city sometimes means messing
directly with the man in charge.
Legend:Controlling
Life:Indulgent
Moment:Molten Earth
Hunger:Power
Mental Attributes:Intelligence 2, Wits 4, Resolve 3
Physical Attributes:Strength 6, Dexterity 3, Stamina 4
Social Attributes:Presence 5, Manipulation 3,
Composure 3
Mental Skills:Investigation 3, Occult 2,
Politics 4 (Criminal)
Physical Skills:Athletics 3, Brawl (Crush) 5, Larceny 3,
Survival 2, Weaponry 3
Social Skills:Expression 2, Intimidation (Reputation) 4,
Persuasion 3, Socialize 3, Subterfuge 3, Streetwise 4
Merits:Allies (Criminals) 5, Allies (Forsaken) 3,
Allies (Lost) 2, Contacts (Street), Contacts (Police),
Contacts (Criminal), Contacts (Legal), Epic Potential
(Strength), Fame 3, Patient
Atavisms:Looming Presence, Titanic Blow
Esurients:Impossible Vista, Intruder, Obedience,
Your Power is Mine
Nightmares:Fear is Contagious, You Must Obey
Lair:3
Health:9
Willpower:6
Satiety:6
Size:5
Speed:13
Initiative:6
Defense:6
Armor:2/0 (always wears an armor lining in his suits)
Notes:Fighting the Authority is never a one-on-one
battle. It always involves fighting through goons, body-
guards, and eventually his Insatiable might. Be careful
who you pick fights with.
 THE BLIND MAN
Little Blind Man, We see youve come, So now weve got to run, run, RUN! [screamed]
Old Blind Man, Go on your way, Unless youve come to bid Good day. [in a deep voice]
The Blind Man, Dont look like that, Eat her instead, SHES NICE AND FAT! [shouted]
The Blind Man, by Anon
Background
Beasts speculate as to how much of the Blind Mans legend
holds truth. This Insatiable definitely exists, but the duration
of his existence, breadth of his ruinous activities, and his mo-
tivations all conflict from one tale to the next. The Blind Man
is an Insatiable incomprehensible for his alien behavior, even
others among his kind fail to comprehend what hes attempting
to achieve through his actions.
Legend tells of an elderly Persian who walked the length
of the Achaemenid Empire while wearing a fastened blindfold.
Wherever his road took him, violence and decay followed in
his wake, eventually warping the land itself into vistas beyond
anything natural for the region. Whenever someone attempted
to aid the old cripple, he stood in place and considered. Factors
completely arbitrary to most people determined whether he
would either opulently reward or slowly and painfully murder
the would-be altruist and his entire family.
Tales hold that the same blind wanderer arrived in Bziers
during the Albigensian Crusade, having inspired acts of fanati-
cal violence in the people around him during his journey. A
layer of metal was folded over his eyes and bolted to his temples,
yet somehow he made it to the town despite his lack of sight.
The resident Cathars insisted on removing the torturous device
on his head, despite his protestations. The town soon fell to
the purges of the crusades, chaos and bloodshed reigning. The
Blind Man departed to the smell of burning flesh, a chunk of
it hanging from his mouth.
The Blind Man patrolled the battlefields of the Napoleonic
Wars, clad in the uniforms of the dead, a bloody, scabrous
bandage over his eyes. Whenever he rested and was given alms,
soldiers corpses would spring forth with disease enough to
eliminate entire regiments from the region. Water grew foul,
King Cholera reigned, and he would slowly dance among the
choking, dying young men. He helped along those who begged
for their mothers as they expired. The tale holds that those who
begged for their father received comfort, and sometimes even
healing, from the Blind Man.
Wherever the Blind Man treads, ruin stalks closely be-
hind. He does not conform to a single method of delivering
pandemonium; his medium and motives are far too abstract
for any contemporary Beast to understand. One year he may
exalt in plague borne by insects swarming around him, while
in another he craves the violent shedding of blood through
ritual sacrifice. A generation later, the Blind Man may riddle
his victims with nightmares of the world splitting asunder as
he stands astride the crack, and later still he may simply instill
fear of the wardrobe-dwelling boogeyman, as he stares through
the slats at children struggling to sleep.
Spawning the Primogenitor
The Blind Man is an omen. What sates him more than
anything is the fog of portent and doom he produces. When
the Blind Man comes, his companions are destruction and loss.
He wants irrational fear to consume those who know of him,
and make them guess at what hell he may summon forth. The
Blind Man wants his legend to spread, and actively plays on
the rumors of his unpredictability to visit an occasional drop of
kindness in his consuming pool of cruelty. When he produces
panic and terror from his victims, he hopes to drive them to
suicide, or to kill each other. He then takes his fill of their meat
to wash down the thick helpings of despair.
The Blind Man is more than a simple wandering field of
destruction. Wherever he travels, he leaves a part of himself.
This Insatiable births, oozes, and drops minute eggs on land and
at sea. What is born from these eggs is unknown to most, who
upon discovering them instinctively react by bringing their boots
down to obliterate the wet mess. The Blind Man himself has
shared his own belief with the few Beasts and other Insatiable
hes come to respect. According to him, he is the carrier of
the Primogenitor, who will be reborn once hes wreathed the
world in his eggs. He doesnt recognize the primacy of the Dark
Mother, or her children. Rather, he knows in his twisted heart
that he possesses the essence of the Primogenitor.
Even other Insatiable consider the Blind Mans prophe-
cies unlikely, but hes gained a cult of followers throughout the
centuries of his existence. Its membership frequently declines
and dies out, due to the Blind Man feeding from his own follow-
the blind man 107
 ers when hes in a meditative mood, but his
legend is such that mortals and Insatiable
alike cant help but be drawn to him.
Despite tales of his constant
transience, the Blind Mans sto-
len many a Lair from Beasts or
built his own Dens when over-
matched by his lesser breth-
ren. He makes his appearance
in a new city or country an
elaborate, festive affair by his
standards but favors staying
in one location while he spreads
his seed, marshaling power and
followers before eventually ready-
ing himself to move on. When
Beasts discover the whereabouts of
the Blind Man who doesnt make
a massive effort in concealing his
location the Insatiables known
for affecting an air of deference and
politeness, even abandoning a stolen
Lair in a false show of fear to anyone
muscling in. He then returns with
his cult in tow, and lays waste to any
Beast showing him such disrespect.
According to the followers of
the Blind Man, the Primogenitor
within him now requires little
time before awakening and
being nurtured into the night-
mares of every creature on
Earth. Soon, the Blind Man will
arrive in a city of great and grave
importance, spill his eggs a final
time, and unleash the father of all
Insatiable.
Description
The Blind Mans appearance is
not static. From tale to tale, he al-
ters slightly in the description:one
time being a tall, stooped male bear-
ing deep creases across his kindly
Kurdish features, another being a
rigid, wiry man, tight of muscle and
wearing a perpetual grimness upon
his weathered Nordic face. The only
constants see him carrying a cane,
typically white in color, appearing
at least 50 years of age, adorned with
something obscuring his eyes typi-
cally shades in the current era, and
wearing clothes marked with pink or
increased, and gradually produce their own eggs in a
black blotted stains around the loca-
similar fashion to the Blind Man, the only difference
tion of his navel and groin.
being that mortal-produced eggs possess a coat of thin white
108 CHAPTER THREE: INSATIABLE
Known for his cautious, yet gracious,
manner, the Blind Man is not a typical
Ravager. He certainly lacks compassion
for the trifling existences of individuals,
thinking even less of their houses
and cities, but acts with respect
and cordiality even when eating
a victim alive. He pauses before
speaking, apparently thinking on
a polite response to whatever
question or offer is posed to
him. In fact, the Blind Man al-
ways knows how hes going to act.
He relishes the silence between
sentences, the impatient agony
of a conversationalist waiting
for the next beat of speech,
and makes death a particularly
painful ordeal for those not
courteous enough to allow him
time to respond.
The Blind Man is not truly
blind of course. Hes not hu-
man, and has no requirement
for such minor sensory organs
to perceive his surroundings.
He can see as well with his eye
sockets covered as he does with
them open to the air, but as
the eyes are fabled gateways to
the soul, so the Blind Mans
sockets give away his true
Insatiable nature. When vis-
ible, the holes in the Blind
Mans head clearly contain tiny,
shifting centipedes and earwigs,
steadily birthing a thick ring of
little white eggs on his eyelids and in
his eyelashes. Occasionally a bug will
drop from one of these orifices, but
the Blind Man pays this no heed.
The Blind Mans blotted clothing is as
result of a thick trail of what resemble fish
eggs progressively leaking from his navel,
urethra, and anus. Particularly around his
navel area, a coagulated mass of pink
and black eggs comes forth when the
Blind Man strains his abdominal
muscles. Horrifyingly, the Blind
Man has from time to time passed
these eggs off as salmon roe or
sturgeon caviar, as they bear a sour,
fishy odor. Those who consume his
produce have their fertility dramatically
fur. This invariably drives the afflicted unfortunates insane, as
they cannot stop the egg production, resulting in self-destructive
harm. The Blind Man believes that by participating in the
birthing, they increase the speed at which the Primogenitor
will be reborn.
Its rare for the Blind Man to reveal his true self, even
preferring to remain in the form of an old man when inside
a stolen Lair. It typically takes violence and great impoliteness
for the Blind Man to appear in his Horrible Form; a wretched,
flaky, yonic monstrosity coated in armies of shifting bugs and
eggs. These insects and their ovum are constantly belched from
a cavernous maw, roughly where the Insatiables stomach should
be, as wispy layers of skin shed off and swirl in the breeze. Two
small, button-like eyes are the only mundane elements to this
otherwise alien form.
Rumors
This Insatiable never lets go of his cane. I hear its a part of
him some kind of petrified tentacle that paralyzes whatever
he touches.
The Blind Man doesnt wield his cane as a weapon, and its
not a tentacle, but hes incredibly sensitive to others touching it.
When another creature makes contact with his cane, hes liable
to choose that individual for a heavy serving of Nightmares in
nights to come.
Though hes not truly blind, support groups for those with
impaired sight are a common haunt for the Blind Man. Theyre
among the few he never sates his Hunger on, finding among
them a place where he can masquerade as a mortal and play
the role hes come to adore for generations. Hes even known
to protect the blind from those who would take advantage of
their condition. Tragically, he also draws many of his cultists
from the ranks of the blind.
Ive heard hes occasionally cordial with Beasts, if theyre
polite to him. He apparently sided with a brood against a notable
band of Heroes, shook hands after the fight concluded, and went on
his way.
The Blind Man believes entirely that Beasts are a lower
form, and that Insatiable being free from the grip of the
Primordial Dream are the apex nightmare weavers, yet, he
doesnt dismiss them completely. They are still cousins, even if
their powers are lesser and their attachment to satiety pathetic.
When a Beast shows the Blind Man respect, he offers counsel in
his foreign, abstract way. Treating the Blind Man with respect is
no easy task, as he changes the parameters for styles of address
and due deference without warning, and any misinterpretation
of his, frankly alien, advice is a huge offense.
If a Beast succeeds in earning the Blind Mans respect,
he offers his devastating array of power in war against Beasts
enemies. Hes fonder of the Namtaru than any other Family,
but only in the sense that he feels theyre more comfortable
in their monstrosity than their peers. Any sign of weakness on
the part of Beast will see him abandon her at a crucial point,
or switch sides in a battle even to his apparent detriment.
STORY HOOKS
One of the broods contacts complains frequently
of night terrors preventing her from sleeping.
She describes the nightmares as altering vividly
from night to night, except for one feature they
all contain a man the contact met recently. The
contact attempted to help an old, blind man cross
the road, taking the gentleman by the arm before
gaining his permission to assist. The Blind Man
grinned at the contact before wrenching himself
away, and since then the dreams have afflicted
her to the degree that sleep is now impossible.
Unless the characters protect the contact, she goes
missing soon after, the only evidence at the scene
of the crime a spoor of what appear to be salmon
eggs.
Children in the local school learn a new nursery
rhyme they call The Blind Man, except the Insa-
tiables not been visiting their dreams. Hes been in
the minds of their parents. A glasses-wearing child
was being bullied at the school, and when the
Blind Man inexplicably wrote a letter to each of
the bullies parents asking they stop, the bullying
only intensified. Rather than express his alien ire
on the children, the Blind Man is now targeting the
dreams of each parent he feels should be rais-
ing their children in a better way. Such behavior
borders on how Beasts attempt to have their prey
learn and improve, but the Blind Man has no such
mandate. He wishes to torment the parents into
acts of suicidal violence, taking any survivors for
his next meal.
A gang of blind adults attacks a Beast known to
the brood outside her Lair. Theyre waiting at the
Lairs exit no matter where it appears, each time
the Beast leaves. They scream and rant that the
Blind Man is requisitioning the Lair for birth of the
Primogenitor, and to save the Beasts life she must
flee. The cult is immune to the mental infiltration
of a Beasts Nightmares, and any Beast who at-
tempts interfering with his followers receives a visit
from the Blind Man. The Insatiable is convinced
that now is the time for the Primogenitor to rise,
and this particular Lair is incalculably important to
the birthing process. Some Beasts write the claims
off as lunacy, but others take notice. If the Blind
Man is correct, a powerful, uncontrollable terror
may soon be unleashed on the world.
Legend:Pitiless
Life:Callous
Moment:Void
Hunger:Ruin
Mental Attributes:Intelligence 4, Wits 4, Resolve 5
Physical Attributes:Strength 2, Dexterity 4, Stamina 3
Social Attributes:Presence 4, Manipulation 3,
Composure 5
the blind man 109
 Mental Skills:Academics (History) 3, Investigation 2, Lair:0
Medicine 2, Occult (Insatiable Lore) 4, Science 3 Health:8
Physical Skills:Stealth 2, Survival 3, Weaponry 1 Willpower:10
Social Skills:Animal Ken 1, Empathy 4, Intimidation 3, Satiety:7
Persuasion (Inspiring) 4, Socialize 3, Subterfuge 3 Size:5
Merits:Allies (Cultists) 3, Contacts (Cult), Danger Speed:11
Sense, Danger Sense (Advanced), Fame 2, Inspiring,
Resources 2, Spoor 4 Initiative:9
Esurients:Cast Aside, Foul Mess, Obedience, Terrible Defense:4
Form, Your Power is Mine Notes:The Blind Man is rarely without his shades or
Nightmares:They Are All Around You, You Are Never white cane. Despite his apparent blindness, he is capa-
Alone, You Must Obey, You Will Never Rest ble of making eye contact with a victim for the purpose
of inflicting Nightmares.

COLETTE
THE LOVESICK GIRL
Hold me closer. Hold me tighter. Give me your love, now! Now I said! I need it!
Fine, Ill just take it myself.

Background after letting her mother fall to the ground, and she felt no re-
morse for her action. Instead, she sought only to forcibly take
Colette was never one to have too much confidence in the love she so desperately craved from her father, and anyone
herself. She always looked outside of her own mind, her own else she could, by force.
thoughts, and latched onto things that made her seem more
These new powers were a mystery, but figuring them out
intelligent than she really was, prettier than she ever could be,
became her new obsession. Maybe they were the key to feeling
and cooler than the collection of nothing she ultimately was.
whole and finally being loved. No one was as alone as her, and
Her father was the typical businessman who saw more benefit
she needed to stop that feeling once and for all. Colette visited
to long days at the office or on business trips than time with
her father at his office late that night, snuck up behind him and
his family, and her mother was self-involved to the point of
the man he had been cheating on her mother with, reached
neglect. Colettes words bounced off of the self-obsessed walls
out, and reveled in the dual thuds of their bodies hitting the
her parents built around themselves, leaving her with no guid-
ground in a symphony of death. One might think shed feel a
ance when her hunger started to show itself.
bit of justice for her mother, but she realized she only felt truly
She woke from visions of the frozen cold surrounding alive when draining others of their lives.
her and chilling her to her soul. In these dreams, Colette was
Without parents, Colette moved onto the streets and be-
without anyone to keep her warm, without even fire, and was
gan building her Den in an abandoned building near several
frozen to the point of shattering into a million pieces before
nightclubs. It is as much of a home as she feels she deserves,
she snapped awake. A girl with a stronger will may have come
covered with David Bowie and The Cure posters and littered
upon a sense of independence she had been lacking her whole
with a special keepsake from each person she has tried to get
life and become determined to change. Instead, Colette sunk
to love her. Her mothers ashtray and her fathers cufflinks are
deeper into her new state as an Insatiable and sought only to
among her favorite of these items, and she guards them against
fill the void inside her.
harm above all others.
Her mother was the obvious first target of her obsession,
as she could always be found downstairs, passed out on the liv- You Are My Family
ing room couch with a cigarette in her mouth and telenovelas Many people came to Colettes doorstep one after another,
on the TV. She grabbed her mom by the hand and pulled her each one falling for her act. Ever the injured bird, many a would-
close for a deep hug, hoping a little physical attention was all be savior saw her as something to be fixed until its too late and
she needed to make her complete. What the Lovesick Girl did shes drained them of any warmth they can give her. When
not notice were her mothers gasps for life, as she drained the they show real feelings for her, then it is all the more exquisite.
warmth quickly from her body. The girl was no more whole

110 CHAPTER THREE: INSATIABLE

 It wasnt long before she had left enough bodies behind Colette has been at this game for over nine years now,
her in her search for love that Beasts began to take notice. becoming more cunning and devilish with each passing day
Colette immediately felt a kinship to these beings, the kind of and with each prey she consumes. Every Beast she encounters
connection the movies tell you youre supposed to have with reviles her as a monster they must destroy, but she believes it
family, even though her parents never made her feel this way. simply takes one to know one. She hopes one day that one of
Her first was with Malik, a Namtaru who fascinated Colette these Beasts will see her as an equal and welcome her into his
to no end. She followed him home heart. Only then will her Hunger ever be satiated.
and snuck into his Lair,
a place of pure fire that Description
would have kept anyone Having received plenty
else at bay. The flames of practice throughout her
gave way to the Lovesick life, Colette knows exact-
Girls steps, however, and ly how to blend in with
allowed her cold heart any crowd. When on
to pierce their defenses. the streets, she wears a
Each time he returned nondistinct hoodie as
to his home, she was no- she walks around, car-
where to be found, but rying the car battery she
his flames were dim- uses to power her Den
mer than before. After with her almost every-
weeks of attempting to where she goes. When its
hunt her down, Malik time to mingle, her ward-
finally found Colette robe includes just about
in his Lair trying on anything she could want.
several sets of his Among the other col-
clothes with a giant lectibles she keeps from
smile on her face. her victims, Colette has a
They are a perfect vast wardrobe with only a
fit! she exclaimed, few bloodstains, nothing
even though they anyone would notice in
hung off her like she the dark or in the dimly-lit
was a tiny mannequin corners of the nightclubs
in a plus-sized store. she frequents.
When Malik took on
Every interaction with
his Horror form, hoping
Colette makes her victim ever
to scare her away with
more infatuated. The same longing she has
the heat of his gaze,
held in her soul since she was a little girl now
she only reached for
becomes a part of each and every person she
him, drew him close
encounters, even if they dont realize it at first.
and kissed him deep.
They have dreams of her face, her hands, her lips,
He felt the revulsion
and wake up shaking and cold with the knowledge
he normally inspired in
that only that girl they met last night could warm
others coursing through his
them again. Their relationships begin to wane, as
own body, and he pushed her away
they are obsessed only with meeting Colette one
and demanded she leave. It was too
more time. They frequent the clubs hoping to bump
late, though; his power was now
into her, and either go home alone in despair or go
hers and she had never felt closer to
home with a random person to attempt to fill their own
another being until that day.
void. Colette infects her targets with an intense emptiness,
Filling the hole in her heart with a reflection of the hunger she feels every day.
the love of mortals no longer hit the
The Lovesick Girl looks to be like any other
spot; only Beasts, with whom she felt
girl with dark hair and Latin roots, and knows
a kinship, were worth her time now.
how to camouflage or stand out based on her
Of course, the death of a few humans
clothing choice. Regardless of her garb, however,
with their fears lost to the Primordial
she always looks sad and in need of help, beg-
Dream was more than enough to lure
ging anyone she meets to want to reach out and
a Beast or two from their Lairs to give
care for her. Colette is a Venus fly trap for charity, much
her a chance at their hearts.

the lovesick girl 111


STORY HOOKS
The Beast characters brood return from their latest
conflict or adventure to find their Lair ransacked, and
with a weaker connection to the Primordial Dream.
Stepping into the area, they immediately notice
that nothing except the most superficial of items are
missing. Possibly an old jersey the one Beast hasnt
worn in weeks or anothers favorite candy dish, but
anything of real significance or power is left without
a scratch. An overwhelming confusion hits the Brood
until they find a letter from their intruder reading,
Hello, my love. I have taken only small mementos
this time, but the next time I come back Ill show
myself to you and youll love me back. It becomes a
puzzle to figure out what she took and why, figuring
out which of the brood she is actually targeting, and
when she plans to attack again.
The Lovesick Girls legend has grown over the last
few months, with more bodies turning up and even
more mentions of her actions coming through the
grapevine. The usual rumor mill isnt even enough
to contain the damage she is doing right now
and is instead leaking over into the local news
coverage with investigations into a possible serial
killer. Having this much attention brought in by an
Insatiable is the exact reason Beasts are sworn to
destroy them practically on sight. This type of story
doesnt have a single goal; instead, it is composed
of hunting and disposing of the Lovesick Girl,
mixed with attempts to quell the public knowledge
already surrounding them and hopefully fixing the
flow of spirits to the Primordial Dream before too
much damage is done. On top of all of that, the
other supernatural creatures in the city are sure to
blame the brood if they cant handle their business
quickly and quietly.
A local Ventrue of the Invictus approaches the
protagonists brood. He is weakened and needs
help. He tells a story of how he can only feed on the
saddened and he finds club girls to be the easiest to
prey upon, but now this predator has been turned
into the prey. He says hes been seeing a beautiful,
melancholy girl nightly, despite knowing better,
and his inner beast is growling closer to the surface
with each meeting. Without the Beasts help, he is
sure to lose his humanity, but there is great favor
to be gained with his clan if they can rid him of his
succubus.
to the folly of so-called good people. In her Horrific form, this
becomes even more obvious, as her arms and torso peel away to
reveal a gaping vortex, sucking the air out of the area and leaving
it chilled. Her legs plant themselves into the ground with black,
slightly metallic roots, and the rest of her body becomes wisps of
energy grabbing everything it can and throwing it into the black
hole. Colette consumes everything she can in this form, leaving
nothing but a crater in the ground, swelling whole buildings or
city blocks into herself if not stopped.
112 CHAPTER THREE: INSATIABLE
Beyond that, her aura fills anyone in the area not with dread
or panic, but pure apathy. The Lovesick Girl, so desperate for an
emotional connection, sucks her victims emotions out of them to
the last drop, and is left unsatisfied in the end. This is her story,
and one that has been told again and again through the years.
Rumors
You cant go home with just anyone. What if shes the Lovesick
Girl? You may never come back again. Be careful, and be aware, she
could be anyone, but shes dangerous.
Men on the prowl in nightclubs have heard the stories of the
Lovesick Girl, and the rumors of guys going home with her and
never being heard from again has spread far and wide. Amidst the
flowing alcohol and the thumping bass lines, few people think
twice about some superstition if they have the chance to leave
with someone on their arm. Colette lures in her prey the same
way every time; she draws in others to pretend to be her friends
and then either ditches or kills them before appearing again to her
prey, alone and in distress. While her aura already gives a feeling of
helplessness, the extra theatrics helps her get a small thrill out of
her kill. She gives in rather quickly and is taken home, where the
passion becomes the closest thing to love shell ever actually feel.
Despite what some may believe, while it is usually men who
circulate this rumor and fear for their fellow bros, the Lovesick Girl
preys on women just as often as men. Colette is, after all, hungry
for love in any form, regardless of the vessel that can provide it
gender means nothing to this monster.
I hear the Lovesick Girl only punishes bad people, those people
who are mean to her, or put other people down. Be nice and you might
survive meeting her.
Some believe that being extra nice and gentle to the Lovesick
Girl is the only way to truly get rid of her. When faced with the
idea of someone willingly opening their arms and inviting her in,
she becomes confused and runs off in fear. No one is ever nice to
her; she has to take what she wants with no regard for her victim,
right? Everyone who is nice is always out to get something from
her, right? Puzzled by this kind of action, she second guesses her
life and usually retreats to her Den, where tears guide her way to
nightmares of all the worst acts shes committed in her life.
If one is able to follow the Lovesick Girl to her Den, something
very possible since she is consumed with escape and nothing else,
they have access to the real target her collectible trinkets. Each
one represents one of her kills and she continues to subsist on the
memories of each kill to push her forward. If these are destroyed,
however, Colette loses the piece of her soul once filled by that victim
and is weakened. Only one Beast was even partially successful in
this attempt, however, so it is unknown if it will kill the Lovesick
Girl or simply piss her off.
Legend:Obsessive
Life:Loneliness
Moment:Frozen Hell
Hunger:Hoard
Mental Attributes:Intelligence 3, Wits 4, Resolve 4
Physical Attributes:Strength 2, Dexterity 3, Stamina 3
Social Attributes:Presence 4, Manipulation 5,
Composure 3
Mental Skills:Computers 2, Crafts (Appraisal) 2,
Investigation 2, Medicine 3
Physical Skills:Athletics 2, Larceny (Breaking and
Entering) 4, Stealth 3, Survival 3, Weapons (Car Battery) 3
Social Skills:Empathy 2, Persuasion 3, Socialize 3,
Streetwise 2
Merits:Anonymity 2, Barfly, Killer Instinct 3, Sleight of
Hand, Spoor 4,
Esurients:Intruder, Laws of Man No Longer Apply,
Obedience, Your Power is Mine
Nightmares:Everything You Do is Useless, You Are
NULL SNYPER
INTERNET SCOURGE
If u cant take criticism, GTFO n00b! LOL
Background
Born Maria Figueroa, she was a girl who kept to herself
throughout grade school and high school. Other kids teased
her about her name, her accent, her dark skin, her familys
poverty, and even the fact that she spoke fluent Spanish. As
she got older, the bullying became more intense. Some of her
classmates would fight her. Others would pretend to be her
friend until they got what they wanted, and then she was the
outcast again. Somehow, she was the one who always got in
trouble. Shed end up in detention or suspended, while the
other kids kept on with their perfect little lives.
The only time she ever felt at peace was in the fleeting
moments she could escape to the schools library computers.
There she could visit the forums and message boards where
she wasnt a freak. Her looks didnt matter. Her accent didnt
matter. The only thing that mattered there was the content of
her posts. Her identity could be whatever she imagined. She
reinvented herself a few times on the forums. A different screen
name meant an entirely different person. If she didnt like how
she was treated, she could shed that self as easily as she shed
sweaty, rank clothes.
As soon as she graduated high school and was on her own,
she saved up enough to buy an old laptop. She spent every mo-
ment of her free time engrossed in it. Her favorite forum was
one that criticized peoples self-made costumes. Members of the
community would take pictures of other peoples cosplay and
upload them for everyone to ridicule. Maria gleefully joined in
savaging the images. One picture turned out to be of a regular
poster to the group.
Alone, You Cannot Run
Lair:0
Health:10
Willpower:7
Satiety:5
Size:5
Speed:10
Initiative:1
Defense:5
Armor:0
Notes:Colette usually has a car battery with her, which
she uses as a weapon to great effect. Damage:2B, Initiative
Modifier:-2, Size:1
Betrayed and hurting, the girl posted a heartfelt message
asking the forum to remove the picture and for everyone to go
easy on her. Her pleas only enflamed the forums response.
Maria in particular tore into the girl, unleashing so many years
of pent up fury. All the things she wanted to say for so long to
her tormentors, all the power she never had before, she now
brought to bear on the girl she, only days before, called a friend.
When word came that the girl committed suicide, a wave of
euphoria washed through Maria like she never felt before.
Suddenly, her eyes were open to senses she never imaged.
She could see the void within herself and her empty, hungry
tendrils reaching out across the electrons. She could touch any
part of the internet she wished. All she had to do was stretch
a little bit, and she could snuff out any life she encountered
with but a few keystrokes. Maria let the void expand, completely
consuming that pathetic person she once was. In its place was
Null Snyper, a predator who could be virtually anywhere at once.
The Webs She Weaves
Null Snyper got bored of the costuming forum in short
order. Egos were too fragile and meals were too easy to come
by. She experimented with trolling support groups and various
fandoms. She poisoned any community she touched. Emotions
would run high, tempers would flare, and a once thriving forum
of people coming together in common interests would end in a
virtual smoking ruin with at least one person unable to endure
the emotional devastation dead by his own hands. The chaos
and betrayal were delicious.
As she explored the World Wide Web, she found she had
internet scourge 113
 an instinctual understanding of networks. Information found
online easily answered any questions she had about technology.
That, combined with the ubiquity of scripts so thoughtfully
provided by the worlds hacker communities, meant that there
was practically no network security that she couldnt bypass.
Webcams became her eyes around the globe, microphones her
ears, and like-minded internet trolls her hands. With nearly ev-
ery computer, tablet, and smartphone having a built-in camera,
nothing she desired to see could escape her gaze. She used this
to get into the heads of targets, making them think she was right
behind them when, in reality, she was half a continent away.
Recently, Null Snyper discovered the adolescent man-chil-
dren that exist where gamers and mens rights activists overlap.
She felt nothing but contempt for them, but she decided to try
flexing her internet muscles. Instead of driving people to suicide
through direct online interaction, she whipped up an angry mob
to go after her targets. Through empty rhetoric and carefully
coordinated campaigns of doxing and harassment, she terror-
ized players, game developers, and journalists in the industry
who dont share her trolls views. The first time she saw a man
killed by police, live on webcam as a result of a swatting prank,
ecstasy, unlike that from any other death she caused, filled her
completely. She knew she was on the right track.
114 CHAPTER THREE: INSATIABLE
Now she maintains a carefully cultivated legion of follow-
ers. Certain circles avidly follow Null Snypers exploits and
celebrate her as a master troll. It only takes a word or two from
her to unleash the fury of hordes of aspiring trolls longing to
make a name for themselves. Theyll dox anyone or breach pri-
vate accounts if it means gaining a small measure of notoriety
by attaching themselves to her reputation.
Description
Null Snyper lives alone in a single-room apartment, which
she rarely leaves. Thanks to the internet, she rarely needs any-
thing from the outside world. The only time she dares venture
out is to acquire new computer hardware to upgrade her setup.
She is safe in her Den, surrounded by the glow of computer
monitors and the hum of various power supplies and hard
drives. Trash and old, discarded computer parts litter the floor
like so many skeletons stripped of flesh.
Her physical appearance is unkempt. She dresses slovenly
and never bathes. She never interacts with anyone in person, so
she sees no reason to bother. For her, the physical is a pointless
waste of time that shackles her, preventing her from reaching her
full potential. Everything she needs is available to her through
the computer. If she had some way to shed her body and exist
entirely as information in the cloud, she would take it without a
moments hesitation. Ironically, since she stopped caring about
her appearance, she now looks more like her self-image from her
youth. Her face is pimply due to her poor hygiene, and her stench
reeks worse than it did even when her family tried to save money
by using less water. She has an emaciated frame, bordering on
skeletal, from subsisting on mere emotion without tangible flesh.
So far, she has never consciously assumed her Horrible
Form. Her Insatiable visage is composed of a knotwork of inky
filaments clustered together to form the silhouette of her body,
which resembles that of a giant spider, with rending claws and
grotesque fangs to drain the life of anyone they pierce. The skin
of the strands is that of a black hole, darkening the room as she
seems to pull all the light into her. Her uncountable legs extend
from her body along the information byways of the internet. At
their ends are ravenous maws ready to devour anything in reach.
As an Insatiable, Null Snyper is incredibly young. She hasnt had
an opportunity yet to fully explore the extent of her birthright. While
her supernatural power is relatively weak, she is a creature supremely
suited to the 21st century. Thanks to the reach of the internet, a reach
that grows daily as smart devices proliferate and everyday items are
increasingly networked together to create an internet of things, her
hunting range is nearly limitless. She hunts by emotionally isolating
her victims and harassing them until they are broken. Either they
take their own lives to end the misery she inflicts upon them, or
she engineers their demise at the hands of one of her followers. As
long as she has a network connection open to them at the time of
their demise, she is able to consume their despair.
Null Snyper hasnt personally killed anyone with her own
hands yet. As a result, she is constantly hungry, even by Insatiable
standards. She is half starved from feeding only on nightmares and
emotions without the necessary sustenance of her victims flesh.
The prospect is tantalizing, and she fantasizes about how satisfying
it would be to actually feel the life slowly extinguish from a person,
how exquisite human fat and muscle would taste in her gullet.
She knows shes feeble and only growing weaker. Her meals so
far, while providing a measure of nourishment, are unsustainable
in the long term. She must find a way to overcome her fear of the
physical world and leave the comfort and safety of her Den. She
has the contact information of a target one of her rabble doxed for
her. That particular harassment campaign is almost at its end and
the victim will soon be dead, one way or another. Every so often,
she pulls up the address and stares at it in electric anticipation.
Rumors
Null Snyper is so active in the mens rights activists forums,
were probably looking for a socially awkward male in his teens to
early 20s.
Contrary to popular belief among those who know of her
online, Null Snyper is not male. She plays the part of a disaf-
fected man to ingratiate herself to the communities she currently
manipulates. Its merely one of many identities shes worn over
her life online. Still, she thinks of herself as female out of habit
more than anything else. She stopped considering herself human
shortly after her Moment manifested itself. She doesnt actually
care about any of the causes she pretends to champion. Theyre
simply useful tools for her hunt. Her followers are nothing more
than a means to an end. Should they no longer serve their pur-
pose, shell discard this identity just like all the others.
Every single one of Null Snypers victims said that he knew
impossible things about them, as though he were watching their every
move, but theres no sign he was ever anywhere near the victims.
Her intimate knowledge about her prey may seem super-
natural in origin to those she hunts and anyone who investigates
her, but Null Snyper gains her insight entirely through mundane
means. The rapid adoption of smart devices and the growth
of the internet gives her a window into the lives of anyone she
cares to hunt. Anything connected to the internet will broadcast
information about its usage, and even some lightbulbs can now
be given an IP address. These networked devices are becom-
ing ubiquitous far faster than the security included with them
advances. Its a simple matter for Null Snyper to collect their
STORY HOOKS
A Hero has his sights set on the player characters.
He always seems to know what the characters are
going to do, but they know nothing about him. They
need information who is he, what is he after, and
just what is his connection to the characters? After
making a number of inquiries, they discover the
name Null Snyper, and how to contact her online.
She is happy to make a deal with the characters,
but is the information worth the price she asks?
One of the local Begotten is doxed. Now, a
coordinated campaign of harassment has begun.
Null Snyper had an epiphany on how to use the
Primordial Dream to integrate herself more fully
into the realm of information, but she needs a
Beasts Lair to enact her plan. Its a race against
time as the characters attempt to find the source
of the harassment before the operation reaches its
bloody conclusion.
There is a dramatic uptick in local police violence.
Null Snyper is trolling an online police support group
to increase the chances of a fatality during a swat-
ting prank. It has the side effect of raising tensions
between the police and the local citizens. Riots are
threatening to break out all over the city. Its difficult
for Beasts to satiate their Hungers in the middle of
a small war zone. Can the characters discover the
source of the police brutality and defuse the situation
before their own hunting is compromised?
Null Snyper discovered a solution to her dilemma.
She is petrified of leaving her Den, but she must
devour to survive. A chance encounter with one
of the Begotten on a message board opened her
eyes to the Subversion. Now she can finally live
her dream. All she needs to do is find an online
Beast close to one of her targets, and she will be
able to feast while staying safe. Luckily for her,
one of the player characters or their allies just hap-
pens to fit that criteria.
internet scourge 115
 information. Either she or her devoted trolls can mine the data
to produce an incredibly accurate picture of her targets daily
routine. If she needs more, she can always take over the camera
inevitably attached to one of her preys devices.
Insatiable must be in physical proximity to cause a Schism or
use one of their Nightmares. As long as youre not in the same room as
Null Snyper, youre safe from any supernatural attack.
While this is normally true, being close and making eye
contact with her mean something different in Null Snypers case.
The longer she regularly resides in a forum or chatroom, a virtual
Schism grows, twisting anyone else who actively participates in
the online community. Likewise, eye contact is necessary for
her to use her Nightmares, but she is able to use webcams as an
extension of her own eyes. She doesnt realize it, but shes a step
toward realizing her dream to slip the bonds of the physical world.
Since she doesnt have a point of reference among her kind,
she doesnt know how unusual her abilities are. Her prey must
die, but unlike most Insatiable, she does not have to physically
consume her victims to gain a measure of sustenance. However,
the Satiety she receives is only half as fulfilling as devouring her
targets flesh.
Legend:Pitiless
Life:Callous
Moment:Void
Hunger:Power
Mental Attributes:Intelligence 4, Wits 4, Resolve 3
PETER SLAUGHBAL
THE UNRELENTING CLOWN
This circus is an ocean of delights! Dive right in for the night of your life!
Background
The circus is place of wonderment. Visitors laugh at the
antics of the clowns, stare in wide-eyed amazement at the
death-defying feats from acrobats and wild animal tamers, and
delightfully scream at the safe terrors of the fun house. At one
circus in the 1950s, though, the horrors were anything but safe.
Peter grew up in a traveling carnival, learning the ins and
outs of the business how to walk a tightrope, juggle a knife,
and most importantly, work a crowd. As soon as he was old
enough, he donned his makeup, put on the wig, and buttoned
up his coveralls. He couldnt wait to finally be in the middle
of action making the crowd laugh as one of the clowns. That
evening, at his first public performance, he caught sight of a
young woman all alone. A hunger stirred in him as everything
else around him seemed to fade away into nothingness. She
116 CHAPTER THREE: INSATIABLE
Physical Attributes:Strength 1, Dexterity 3, Stamina 2
Social Attributes:Presence 4, Manipulation 3,
Composure 2
Mental Skills:Academics 1, Computer (Hacking) 5,
Investigation (Identify Patterns) 4, Occult 1, Politics1
Physical Skills:Larceny 2, Stealth 2
Social Skills:Expression 1, Persuasion 2, Streetwise 1,
Subterfuge (Hiding Emotions) 3
Merits:Allies (Internet Trolls) 5, Area of Expertise
(Hacking), Language (Spanish), Library (Computer) 3
Esurients:Terrible Form, Obedience
Nightmares:You Are Alone, You Deserve This
Lair:0
Health:7
Willpower:5
Satiety:3
Size:5
Speed:9
Initiative:5
Defense:3
Notes:Null Snyper can make eye contact through
webcams for the purposes of activating her Nightmares.
She may cause Schisms in online communities. Finally,
she may consume emotion as long as she has an open
network connection with her victim at the time of death.
However, without physically consuming her victim, her
Satiety increases by half.
seemed adrift and helpless in the middle of a vast, uncaring sea
of people that threatened to erupt into a tempest and devour her
at any moment. He became obsessed, unable to bear her being
out of his sight for even a moment. Mistaking his obsession for
lust, the other circus hands encouraged Peter, telling him which
attractions she was visiting and where she was heading next.
At first, she was amused by the clowns antics for her sole
benefit, but she quickly became disconcerted to find him await-
ing her at every destination. After the first couple of times, she
tried to lose him, but he was always ahead of her. Desperate,
she ran into the hall of mirrors thinking she could escape in
the maze, but Peter knew the maze through and through. He
remembered every false turn, he saw through every distorted
reflection, and he knew the trick to collapsing the contrap-
tion for transport. When she went down a dead end, Peter
closed off the passage behind them, cutting them off from any
unwelcome visitors. His teeth cut short her shriek as they sank
into her throat.
After that night, Peter established his routine. One night
while the circus was in a given town he would pick one guest
with no friends or family with them. While
everyone else attending the carnival en-
joyed a laughter-filled reprieve from their
daily grind, that one person experienced
a living hell of pure terror with no safe ha-
ven. Twisted by their prolonged exposure
to him, the circus hands helped Peter as
he chased his intended prey throughout
the circus grounds. The crowd of visitors
would transform into a tempestuous
sea of bodies crashing in around Peters
intended victim. Lines formed an un-
breakable barrier. Waves of people pushed
the prey along desired paths. Tents and
booths seemed like safe harbors, but Peter
was always there, waiting. The thunderous
laughter and squeals of delight only
added to the desperate nightmare.
Eventually, his victim would be
driven, exhausted and ragged, to
someplace safely out of sight and
sound from the rest of the circus.
Only there, when his victims were
too spent to resist, did he finally
consume their raw terror, sea-
soned with their trembling flesh.
Catch and
Release
The years passed. The circus
traveled from city to city and coun-
try to country. Authorities never
made the connection between the
circus and missing people since
the circus was always long gone
before anyone noticed something was
wrong, but rumors circulated. By the early
1960s, the talk attracted the attention of a
hunter cell who quickly realized the number
of disappearances around the circus was prob-
ably more than a coincidence. As the group
investigated the grounds of the carnival,
Peter instinctively realized other predators
were on the prowl. Unfortunately for the
hunters, the circus as a whole was Peters Den.
Between his ability to manipulate crowds, help
from the circus hands, and his overwhelming
Horrible Form, the cell never stood a chance.
Only one hunter, Jean Lansberry,
managed to escape. Devastated by the
loss of her friends, she vowed to put a
stop to the carnival. She called on every contact or informant
the cell ever knew to find some way of trapping supernatural
creatures. She pored over every tome or manuscript she could
get her hands on. Eventually, she learned enough to build a
reliquary a painting depicting her memory of the monstrous
horror. With her newly-fashioned weapon in hand, she traveled
alone to the latest town hosting the circus. She
knew the pattern behind the disappearances and
made herself irresistible bait for Peter.
Once she saw the clown, Jean knew she was
his target. She played her part, running from
one attraction to the next, but the fear was all too
real. She had already lived through the
grave consequences of a failed
hunt. Only the weight of the
painting steadied her resolve.
When she was finally cornered
and Peter moved in for the kill,
Jean took out the reliquary. It
worked flawlessly. The painting
imprisoned the clown, and as far
as Jean was concerned, he would
never harm anyone again.
Nearly 50 years later, age caught up
with Jean. Before she could make plans
about what to do with the reliquary after
her death, Alzheimers set in. In her
addled state, the painting and her en-
tire life as a hunter vanished like a
distant, terrible dream. After she
succumbed to the affliction, her
home and all her possessions
passed to her last living rela-
tives, her brothers grandson
and his wife. As they cleaned
out the house, the young couple
stumbled onto the grotesque
painting. Unaware of its true nature,
they joked about how awful it was while
reading the inscriptions engraved in it.
The words the two spoke had power and
released Peter from his prison. Newly freed,
starved, and nearly insane from so long in
isolation, that night Peter stalked the couple
through the house. Their screams were the
most delicious meal he had ever tasted.
Description
After so long gone from this
world, Peter is a shadow of his
former self. Where once he had the
entire circus at his disposal to manipu-
late and command crowds, now he is
all alone a creature out of time in
an unfamiliar world. He skulks from
one town to the next, searching for par-
the unrelenting clown 117

STORY HOOKS
The wife of Jeans descendant, Elizabeth Marchello,
survived her encounter with Peter. Since that night,
shes been driven to discover what actually happened.
She accepts the reality of the supernatural after
unearthing the fact that Jean was an accomplished
hunter in her youth. She also knows that the
painting was integral to stopping Peter originally.
Her investigation into the monster that murdered
her husband has led her to the existence of Beasts,
specifically the players characters. Unfortunately, she
doesnt know the difference between the Begotten
and the Insatiable. She believes the two to be one
kind of monster. If they manage to convince her of the
difference between the children of the Dark Mother
and the children of the Primogenitor, the characters
would gain a devoted ally in their struggles against
the Insatiable, especially if they assist her in gaining
revenge against Peter.
A circus is in town and the ringleader is a Beast
known to the players characters. The circus
contains the entrance to his Lair, but strange
accidents have been happening with greater and
greater frequency animals on the loose, causing
a guest to be mauled, gunpowder misfiring,
causing severe injury to the carnivals daredevil,
and ropes snapping resulting in the death of an
acrobat. Unknown to the ringleader, the clown
troupe recently hired Peter on to join their act. The
accidents are the result of the growing Schism
caused by his presence. The ringleader needs the
characters aid if hes going to survive having the
Insatiable in his midst.
A hunter turned ripper knows the stories about Jean
and Peter. He tracked down the reliquary and
now has the Insatiable trapped to do his bidding.
Half mad from starvation and being caged like
an animal, Peter is frantic and far more lethal than
normal. His growing Schism drives his captor to
ever greater acts of depravity. Desperate to escape,
hell Subvert any Beast he finds while on assignment
for the Slasher, which happens to be targeting a
players character.
ties or other events where a clown might go unnoticed. Once
inside, he dutifully plays his part. He may not know current
events, but sight gags and slapstick are universal. While every-
one laughs, he watches. Theres always at least one person who
goes home alone at the end of the evening. At least thats his
plan. 50 years of starvation have taken their toll. Sometimes
his Hunger takes control, forcing him to indulge in the first
available meal be it an individual who wanders away from
the main event, or the entire party if its relatively secluded.
Peter prefers hunting the ones who are alone with no
support, no one to lend a helping hand or offer a warning.
People who are adrift without the safety of numbers deserve to
be hunted and swallowed up by the unseen predators living in
118 CHAPTER THREE: INSATIABLE
the murky depths beneath lifes placid surface. Peter loves to
make sure his victims realize just how alone they are by giving
them no place to run. He stalks them from one location to
another, denying them any reprieve, as though theyre being
tossed from one wave to the next in a raging tempest. Only
when theyre exhausted and unable to swim against his im-
placable current does he kill them. Not all at once, of course;
he consumes them slowly, savoring their fear and resignation
to the inevitable.
Peter is a greasy, bulbous man, fat from the all the years
he was able to feast in his circus. While not apparent at a dis-
tance, up close he has a cloying dampness and slight putrid
smell reminiscent of rotting fish. He never appears in public
or to his prey outside of his clown costume of blues and sea
greens, the edges of which are frayed and almost tendril-like.
He makes sure his face paint is appropriate to the situation at
hand happy when entertaining, sad when he must look the
part, and horrifying when hes on the hunt.
In his Horrible Form, Peter bloats further to monstrous
proportions. His skin becomes almost transparent while his
fat becomes jelly-like. Slimy ichor drips off him. His mouth
reveals rows of razor sharp, flesh rending needles. His limbs
multiply and extend into grasping, stinging tentacles with
which to immobilize his prey. The air around him thickens,
heavy with the stench of decay.
The modern world presents difficulties for Peter beyond
his unfamiliarity with current technology. Before his imprison-
ment, nearly everyone saw clowns as bringers of delight. In the
intervening years, popular culture has cast clowns as villains
and monsters exactly what Peter is. What was once a perfect
disguise is now a liability. He needs cover now more than ever,
but even with his exhaustive searching, he still hasnt found a
suitable carnival in which to set up his new Den. Independent
traveling circuses arent as common as they once were.
Rumors
I hear he has a weakness to anything that makes an image
of him cameras, mirrors, and the like. He loses some of his power
every time he sees himself.
Its true that Peter has an aversion to seeing images of
himself. The cause does not stem from any supernatural
compulsion, however. In truth, spending so long in isolation
traumatized him. The last thing he saw for 50 years was the
painting of himself. It burned itself into his memory. When
he sees a picture of himself now, he has an immediate and
visceral reaction. Sometimes hell run, desperate to get away
before he is captured again. More often though, hell lash out
at the perceived threat, intent on destroying the picture and
the person who brandished it at him.
Whoever has the reliquary can control him. As long as youre
holding the painting, he is compelled to do whatever you say.
Peter has no idea what all the reliquary that trapped him
is capable of. Even Jean, the paintings creator, wasnt sure
about the details. She was working from ancient texts that
she only partially understood. The one thing she was certain
about was that it would put an end to Peters depredations.
The painting itself was lost during the ensuing struggle after
Peter was set free. Currently, Peter keeps a watchful eye out for
any clues to the paintings whereabouts. He doesnt know what
someone might be able to do to him if it was wielded against
him. It might do nothing, or it might entrap him once more.
Hes not willing to take that chance. If someone threatens him
with it, Peter might be willing to make a deal with that person,
at least until he sees an opportunity to kill her and take the
reliquary for himself.
He wont harm a child. Maybe its because he takes the
clown thing seriously or maybe he has a twisted moral code, but
children are safe from him.
Peter rarely feasts on children, but not due to any sort of
moral code. He has no qualms about killing children or any-
one else, for that matter. Loners are his delicacy, and children
are seldom alone. Thanks to modern movies and television,
most children today have an almost instinctive fear of clowns.
When a child sees one, she immediately hides behind her
parents or runs to get her friends. The parents, being older
and wiser, know that the stereotypes are just silly stories and
that a professional entertainer is actually behind the makeup.
There are organizations of clowns dedicated to fighting the
sinister reputation associated with their craft. Peter supports
these as he can, since their success would make hunting easier.
To help the cause, he goes out of his way to appear friendly to
children. Of course, if his Satiety drops too low, any available
meal will suffice.
WILMOT
THE BLITZ BOY
Those are sirens. They usually mean rescues on the way.
Not for you though. Get underneath me now.
Background
Some of the cruelest nightmares come wrapped in the
most innocent packages. Wilmot an apparently young, shy
boy in a tattered gray school uniform is the kind of creature
few would consider devious. Tragically, for those few, that
low estimation is doing this Insatiable a disservice. Wilmot
is callous gluttony in a coating of sympathy and sanctuary.
Wilmot coaxes the nave to him, and consumes them, with
only a flicker of pleasure. That dim catharsis is enough to
make him justify the constant need to sate the rumblings
in his stomach.
Legend:Relentless
Life:Entertaining
Moment:Primordial Sea
Hunger:Prey
Mental Attributes:Intelligence 4, Wits 3, Resolve 2
Physical Attributes:Strength 4, Dexterity 3, Stamina
2
Social Attributes:Presence 3, Manipulation 4,
Composure 3
Mental Skills:Crafts 2, Investigation 1, Occult 2
Physical Skills:Athletics (Acrobatics) 3, Brawl 2,
Larceny 1, Stealth (Shadowing) 4, Weaponry 2
Social Skills:Animal Ken 1, Expression 3, Intimidation
(Murderous Stare) 3, Persuasion 1, Subterfuge 4
Merits:Anonymity 2, Area of Expertise (Shadowing),
Danger Sense, Fast Reflexes 3, Striking Looks 2
Esurients:The Burning, Channel the Life Blood,
Impossible Vista, Terrible Form
Nightmares:Flying and Falling, You Cannot Run, You
Will Never Rest
Lair:0
Health:7
Willpower:4
Satiety:6
Size:5
Speed:11
Initiative:5
Defense:6
Armor:
Wilmot hasnt visibly aged since first manifesting his
Hunger. That was back in November 1940, in the English city
of Coventry. Coventry was subject to several hundred tons of
bombs earlier in the year, as the Luftwaffe demolished it with
repeated waves of attacks. The Blitz took a horrendous toll on
Coventry families, many of whom fled to neighboring towns
and villages. For Wilmots family, escape was not an option.
A hard-nosed matriarch, Wilmots mother refused to give an
inch to the Nazis, steadfast in neither evacuating her children,
nor building a shelter in her back garden. Indeed, she proudly
claimed the cellar in her house would be enough to withstand
anything Grings Heinkels dropped. Her children were terrified
the blitz boy 119
 of the screaming air-raid sirens, threatening roar of the planes,
the consuming detonations, and subsequent fires. Yet, mother
would not avert her course. She rebuked her childrens talk of
nightmares. The cellar would be safe.
When the heavy bombing of November 1940 commenced,
the sirens blared and Wilmot, his mother, and three siblings car-
ried their gas masks, quilts, and paltry supplies of food
into the cellar. The tonnage of explosives dropped
on Coventry that month obliterated swathes of the
city, and Wilmots house was not exempt. True to
appraisal, the cellar survived. No structure sur-
rounding it shared in its fortitude. A mountain of
masonry collapsed atop it and an inferno of flame
consumed the neighborhood. The family could
hear the dreadful noises beyond their sanctum the
breakdown of centuries-old structures, the weak-
ening cries for help from other entombed
neighbors, and the literal sound of fire, as
it encroached, closer and closer. By some
miracle, his family was uninjured in the
devastation, but all even mother
were petrified.
Then, Wilmot grew hungry.
Wilmot suffocated his mother as
she slept. He blamed his younger sister
for the act, and convinced his brothers
to help in tying her up until rescue
came. Wilmot spoiled the perfectly
good rations. He blamed his paranoid
older brother, and along with his twin,
broke the boys head against the cellar
floor. He waited a week, his bound sister
begging for release and subject to his
torments, his twin swiftly succumbing
to lack of food and clean water, his elder
brother a drooling mess. As their fear
reached a crescendo, Wilmot killed and
ate all three of them. By the time the cellar
was unearthed, Wilmot had already fled.
He knew the drain ran directly beneath the
house. They could have escaped at any time.
For years, the mystery of the Coventry
Cannibal and the missing boy were the
stuff of Readers Digests and true detec-
tive magazines, with the most sensational
theory a story Null Mysteriis sent hunters
to investigate being that a Slasher was
hiding in the cellar and his spirit haunts
Coventry to this day. Wilmot occasionally
returns to Coventry to perpetuate the rumor.
It gives him a rush of euphoria to keep the
fear strong.
Come and Play
Wilmot made his way around the
bombed-out cities of the United Kingdom, pre-
120 CHAPTER THREE: INSATIABLE
ferring to inhabit air-raid shelters, underground railway stations,
and other enclosed spaces. The threat of imminent destruction via
German bombs was pervasive in such places, and enough to excite
him into a frenzy. He would persuade wardens that his mother
was in a shelter, and join the huddled civilians within. His level of
hunger defined his objectives. If ravenous, he would lure children
away from their parents with talk of hidden treasures in the
darkness, a place to play, or somewhere safer to hide.
When exerting patience, he would befriend a fellow child
his age, draw out the sympathies of their parent with
tales of his being an orphan, and go home with the
chosen family. Wilmot consumed those who showed
him kindness, and swiftly moved on to other towns.
The horrors of the Blitz concealed many of
Wilmots acts. In the years following, Beasts became fa-
miliar with the Insatiables deeds. Suspecting one of their
own gone rogue, broods stalked the unassumingly
small boy. Wilmot has refined his game and
now plays with a little more subtlety, aware
of the Beasts attention. He joins schools,
forging paperwork to allow him entry as a
transfer pupil. He diligently attends lessons,
befriends fellow schoolchildren, and wins
their affection with copious volumes of
sweets. Inevitably, his presence forms a
chaotic Schism. Teachers grow increasing-
ly abusive to students, and in some cases, vice
versa. At this time, he lures his new friends to
an old air-raid shelter nearby, or a cellar with
only one means of exit his preferred Den
a dark, uncomfortable, enclosed space. With
invitations to play a game in safety, he snatches
children from the reach of any possible rescue.
Separated from the sanctuary of human warmth
and home, Wilmots prey begs and pleads for days
and sometimes weeks, before being devoured by
the Insatiable in his Horrible Form.
The Blitz Boy is now an urban legend, so named
for his dusty and frayed apparel, the gas-mask satchel
he keeps at his side, and the plague of nightmares he
inflicts on others, filled with the din of air-raid sirens.
He afflicts his prey with the fear of death from above,
followed by rapid suffocation, in order to coax them
into places he frequents safe, secure, and under-
ground. Once he has his prey, he toys with them, and
then envelops them within his unbearably expansive
bulk. Few children escape his attention. Those who
do weather the torments better than the adults who
escape his Den. They all commit suicide within months
of freedom; the constant sound of sirens screaming in
their ears, and flashbacks of the Blitz Boy splitting at the
seams make death a welcome retreat.
Description
The Blitz Boy takes greater pleasure from the
fears and tears of fellow children than those he ekes
from adults, but doesnt discriminate when his Satiety draws
low. Wilmot frequents play parks, school corridors, and toy
store parking lots in efforts to lure victims to his favored eating
stage. By attending a school for a single term, he intrudes into
the nightmares of faculty and students alike. It is common for
Wilmot to leave a school in a state of carnage while he leads his
chosen friends to his Den. Nobody notices anyone is missing,
due to their Nightmare-induced mania. By the time they have
recovered, Wilmots prey is already dead.
The Blitz Boy draws Heroes attention more often than
Beasts. In attempts to trace the victims Wilmots devoured,
Heroic types mistakenly target sex offenders in the region, as
well as local Beasts. These acts afford them great renown, while
the childlike Insatiable fades into the background. This situation
is likely to change. Growing in power and sluggishly consuming
an increasing volume of prey, Wilmot has decided to expand his
Den. Subverting and claiming a Beasts Lair holds great appeal
for this languorous Insatiable. Hes weighing up the benefits of
different Lair types. Wilmot admires the efforts Beasts go to in
making their homes perfect for Insatiables like him.
Wilmots favored appearance is that of a boy aged around
nine or 10 years. He wears the school uniform of whichever insti-
tute he happens to attend, though between schools he wears an
old gray jumper, yellowed shirt, gray shorts, and scabby blue tie.
He takes pride in continuing to wear his old, tattered uniform
from 1940. The school he attended back then no longer exists
bombed flat by the Luftwaffe but he still wears their badge.
As a war boy, Wilmot looks small, underfed, and timid.
In his Horrible Form, the Blitz Boy looks anything but. When
Wilmot strikes, his tiny shell bulges and throbs from hundreds
of thumb-sized pustules beneath the skin. The rapid inflation
of plasma inside him forces all air from his body in a noise that
echoes the alternating pitch of an air-raid siren. Within a minute,
the boys skin ruptures down the sides, and a segmented amoeba
bearing multiple thin, stiff black hairs from each cell gushes
forth at remarkable speed. The Blitz Boy is never more satisfied
than when consuming his prey in a confined space, squeezing
the oxygen from them, filling every pore and orifice. He enjoys
the hopeless struggle of prey and the sudden slowing of their
thrashing motions.
When Wilmot is having fun, he retracts from his Horrible
Form just as a victim is about to expire. He allows them to recover
their breath, and even treats them kindly for a while. Sometimes
he kisses them, tells them they are safe, and that he loves them.
Then he starts again, the sirens blaring.
Rumors
They say he only preys on kids fears. Squeezes them out and
bathes in their misery until its time to feast.
The Blitz Boy prefers children as prey, if only because he
knows the territory intimately. Hes not forgotten the fears he
felt before the Hunger set in:of his mother smothering him, of
being destroyed by the falling nights sky, of being consumed
by fire, and being buried alive. He recalls how his siblings cried
STORY HOOKS
A little girl with a perfectly photogenic face goes
missing while on her bike route home from school.
Shes from a particularly wealthy family, who
understandably pays fortunes to have the disap-
pearance of their child publicized. Due to the
marketable appearance of the girl and her parents
well-spoken public prayers for aid, the story of her
disappearance goes national within days. She isnt
a victim of the Blitz Boy. He has been snatching
children from less affluent families for months in the
same region, and nobodys batted an eyelid. Now
the press, police, and public are turning their atten-
tions to all the missing children. The school Wilmots
attending is under the effect of a Schism hes
caused:four teachers in as many months suspended
for mistreatment of pupils. As the dragnet closes
around the Insatiable, he plans for one last meal in
the area before planting evidence, and therefore
blame, on one of the disbarred faculty.
A cell of hunters approaches the characters brood,
and makes it clear its not interested in conflict with
the Beasts. Their Conspiracy has been research-
ing the Coventry Cannibal for years, along with
the whereabouts of the boy missing from the cellar.
Their belief is that the murderer kidnapped the boy,
but facial recognition software has turned up a
picture of Wilmot in a class photo from a school
within the broods stomping grounds. The hunters
want permission to interview the boy who they
suspect is some kind of immortal so they can find
the cannibal. They dont understand the Blitz Boys
true nature, but the Beasts may well do.
Beasts in the region begin suffering nightmares
they cannot shift. A dreadful wailing causes
sleep deprivation throughout multiple broods,
and tempers flare. Suspicion falls on inter-Family
politics, and Beasts hazing one another, before an
underground-dwelling Makara falls silent and stops
meeting his companions. When his brood attempts
to reenter his Lair via the Primordial Dream, they
find it more revolting than before:human bones
littering the floor, chocolate bar wrappers, and
sodden school textbooks. Wilmot decided he didnt
like this Lair enough to stay for longer than a night,
but he intends to shop around in the same city. The
question becomes where hell strike next.
and screamed, and how he joined them, until something in him
awoke. He knows how to evoke such emotions, and delights in
feeding from them. He targets children so they experience worse
terror than he felt in 1940. Each ounce of distress makes their
bodies all the riper for consumption.
When targeting adults, Wilmots Hunger draws him to the
innocent and the stupid. Hes not interested in a challenge, or
taking on a Beast with an arsenal of powers. If he can feed from
a vulnerable homeless man, an ex-convict just released from jail
the blitz boy 121
 with nobody to miss her, or a stumbling drunk, he does so. The
Blitz Boy has no sense of honor. He wrings every drop of fear
from his prey, and unquestioningly moves on to the next.
Hes a territorial little shit, thats for sure. Hell maul anything
in his vicinity Heroes, Beasts, even his fellow Insatiable.
Wilmot is now in the property market, surveying the Lairs
of Beasts of all Families for a place to call home. Hes not yet
abandoned his existing Den, though, and hes defensive when
it comes to unwanted intruders making moves on his patch. For
a typically indolent Insatiable, the Blitz Boy is spurred to hostile
action if he discovers someone has been poring through his Den.
If Beasts knew where Wilmots Den was, they might make
efforts to avoid it and retribution from the disgusting creature
living there. The issue is Wilmot moves often. The Blitz Boy
never feeds from the same region more than a few times in short
order. He prefers to move to a new location, set up his Den in
a drainage pipe, abandoned mineshaft, or bomb shelter, make
himself comfortable at home until his Satiety begins to drop,
and then commence his hunt for prey. While hes nesting, he
takes great umbrage against anyone daring to disturb him, fellow
Insatiable included. His Den is his, until it is not, at which point
he abandons it like the bones of his victims.
Legend:Excessive
Life:Infantile
Moment:Clashing Faults
Hunger:Prey
Mental Attributes:Intelligence 3, Wits 5, Resolve 4
122 CHAPTER THREE: INSATIABLE
Physical Attributes:Strength 4, Dexterity 3, Stamina 6
Social Attributes:Presence 3, Manipulation 5,
Composure 2
Mental Skills:Academics 2, Crafts (Forgery) 3,
Investigation 2, Occult 2
Physical Skills:Athletics 3, Brawl (Grappling) 4,
Larceny 2, Stealth (Staying Motionless) 3, Survival 1
Social Skills:Empathy 2, Intimidation 1, Persuasion
(Sympathy) 3, Streetwise 1, Subterfuge (Lies) 4
Merits:Epic Potential (Stamina), Fame (Missing Child) 2,
Fame Advanced (Daunting) 2, Indomitable, Small-Framed,
Sympathetic
Atavisms:From the Shadows, Unbreakable
Esurients:Cast Aside, Impossible Vista, Laws of Man No
Longer Apply, Obedience, Terrible Form, We Can See
Your Insides
Nightmares:Everything you do is Worthless, You Are
Alone, You Cannot Run
Lair:2
Health:10
Willpower:6
Satiety:5
Size:4
Speed:12
Initiative:5
Defense:5
Armor:2/1
Notes:Wilmot always carries his schoolbag, which is
filled with candies and mulched-up fast food.